2017 Women's Soccer All-Tournament Team and MVP
Following the Empire 8 Women’s Soccer Tournament and the naming of the Most Valuable Player, the entire 2017 All-tournament team has been announced.
Stevens – Lindsey Mahnken (MVP), Kaitlyn Casiano, Erica O’Kelly, Emily Damrell
Hartwick – Ashley Connolly, Madison Miller and Rachel Pine
Nazareth – Miranda Timberlake and Paige Sullivan
Alfred – Sammy Jo Shanahan and Danielle Perry
Mahnken was named Most Outstanding Player of the Tournament after stopping a total of five shootout attempts and not allowing a goal over the two postseason matches. She stopped six shots in the semifinal game against Nazareth and then made stops in the PK shootout on Nazareth’s first and fourth attempt. In the championship game, Mahnken made five saves in the double-overtime game before stopping three PK attempts in the shootout to give the Ducks the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Casiano, O’Kelly and the Duck defensive unit held Nazareth and Hartwick scoreless throughout the tournament. Nazareth took 22 shots but only registered six on goal thanks to the defensive pressure from Casiano and O’Kelly. In the championship game, Stevens saw 10 shots from Hartwick and five on goal.
Damrell helped on both ends of the field for Stevens as the Ducks registered 38 shots throughout the tournament and held their opponents scoreless. In the PK shootout against Hartwick, Damrell netted the go-ahead goal, before Mahnken came up with her final stop to send Stevens to the NCAA Tournament.
Connolly tallied first goal in the 3-0 semifinal win over Alfred. She put Hartwick on the board at 43:24 after a nice through ball gave her a breakaway to tuck a shot into the lower corner of the net.
Pine was credited three shot attempts in the semifinal against Alfred, including a header a that hit off the crossbar early in the second half. Pine played more on the defensive side in the championship game as Stevens was held scoreless for the fifth time this season.
Miller and the Hawk defensive unit held Alfred scoreless and only allowed five total shots in the semifinal to advance to the E8 championship game for the first time in program history. In a battle against nationally ranked Stevens, Miller faced a high pressure offensive line as the Ducks first off 19 shots but were denied on all attempts.
Timberlake came off the bench and generated six of Nazareth’s 22 shots as she tried multiple times from varied distance to place the ball in the back of the net. In the PK shootout, Timberlake was successful on her attempt.
Sullivan made her 18
th start of the season and fired three shots for Nazareth in the scoreless semifinal game.
Perry and
Shanahan helped the Saxons make their first tournament appearance in program history. Perry, Shanahan and the Saxon defense held top-seeded Hartwick scoreless for the first 44 minutes of the game. Shanahan made nine save in net.