Eastern Connecticut State University

MANSFIELD, Conn. -- Before kickoff on Saturday, Eastern alum and current Volunteer Assistant Women's Basketball Coach Beth Regan gave a pep talk to the Eastern Connecticut State University Women's Soccer team on a day when the Warriors were honoring the 40th anniversary of the program, which began back in 1986. Honoring nearly a dozen alumni at halftime, the Warriors paid homage to their rich history of success, locking up the program's sixth outright Little East Conference Regular Season title, and 11th overall, taking down the University of Southern Maine, 3-0, at Rick McCarthy Field in the final home match of the regular season.

The back-to-back regular season titles marked the first time since the 2015 and 2016 seasons in which Eastern has earned outright possession of the conference, which came during a stretch in which they had won four consecutive regular season titles, with 2017 and 2018 being shared. The 3-0 shutout also snapped a five-match losing streak against the Huskies dating back to the 2021 season while being the first home victory for the Warriors since their 4-0 win in 2018, which coincided with the last time they scored three-plus goals in a head-to-head matchup with Southern Maine.

Now at 11 wins this season, it is the most single-season wins for Head Coach Sarah Tompkins at the helm of the program, while being the first time since 2018, when they went 11-7-0, that Eastern has reached that mark. Another program feat can be achieved next week against Rhode Island College on the road, as a win or tie for Eastern would give them an unbeaten record in conference play, which last happened in 2017, when the Warriors went 6-0-1, as part of a three-year stretch where Eastern did not lose a conference match. 

Closing out the regular season home schedule as well with a perfect 7-0-0 mark, outscoring opponents 19-4 at Rick McCarthy Field, the Little East Conference Semifinals in just under two weeks could be the first time since the 2001 and 2018 seasons that Eastern goes 8-0-0 at home, if they come out on top against their opponent to be determined after next Saturday's Little East Conference Quarterfinals matches. Nevertheless, Saturday's victory in front of decades of Warrior faithful was another step closer to ending a 15-year drought without an LEC Championship title, as the program vies for its fifth crown in program history and seventh trip to the NCAA Tournament over the next two weeks.

Out of the gate, it was all Eastern as they dominated possession in a match where they held a 22-3 edge in shots, featuring a 17-1 lead in shots on goal, and a 14-1 advantage in corner kicks. Senior midfielder Emily Dunlea got the Warriors on the board in just the sixth minute, as off one of those 14 corner kicks, junior defender Jordan Fabry kicked the ball in toward junior midfielder Faith Corona, who faked a touch as the ball went toward the foot of Dunlea near the top of the box. The senior's shot was initially low to the ground, but a slight tip and deflection by the Southern Maine defense caused the ball to carom high on first-year goalkeeper McKenzie Vano for what ended up being the game-winning goal of the contest, and the first of the season for Dunlea.

After outshooting the Huskies 13-2 in the first half, which saw them get their one shot on goal against junior goalkeeper Alex Ignatowicz, who made her lone save of the match to earn her fourth shutout of the season, Eastern went right back to work in the second half. Holding Southern Maine to just one shot and one corner kick in the final 45 minutes, the Warriors continued to add to their lead, nearly doing so in the early going of the second half on a shot by sophomore forward Michaela Gasparri. While Gasparri's attempt in the 60th minute was stopped by Vano, the deflection went to the foot of senior midfielder Lauren Weaver, who put the ball in the back of the net, but was called for offsides, wiping the goal off the board and briefly halting the momentum of the Warriors.

However, Gasparri would do her damage in the latter stages of the final 45 minutes, stripping the Southern Maine offense of the ball in their own zone and going to the top left corner against Vano in the 71st minute to give Eastern a much-needed insurance goal, before, off a Dunlea corner kick, heading the ball by Vano in the 84th minute to seal the regular season title for Eastern. After she started the season with points in four of her first five matches played, a brief three-match dry spell from Gasparri has given way to another prolific stretch of points for the sophomore.

In her last four matches, Gasparri has picked it up again, scoring four goals and tacking on three assists for 11 total points, as she is tied for the conference lead in assists with eight overall with Plymouth State's Islah Godo, who has eight in 16 games played. Four of the top six spots on the conference leaderboard for assists are owned by Eastern players; beyond Gasparri are Fabry with six in third, and both Dunlea and first-year forward Alana Burnell tied for fifth with four. 

Closing out the regular season on Wednesday, Eastern travels to Rhode Island College for a 4:00 PM matchup with the Anchorwomen, as they look to remain perfect in conference play. The last two matchups with Rhode Island College have ended in scoreless draws, while the last win for the Warriors came in 2022 on the road in a 2-0 win.