FREDERICKSBURG, VA – The York College women's soccer team saw their bid for a fourth Capital Athletic Conference championship come up short on Saturday in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The University of Mary Washington Eagles earned their conference-leading 14 CAC crown as they downed the Spartans 4-0 in the 2019 championship match. The title is the Eagles first since 2009, their longest drought between CAC championships. The title run for the Spartans was a Cinderella type journey as York entered the tournament as the fourth seed. York beat the fifth-seed St. Mary's Seahawks in the opening round and followed that with a win over top-seeded Salisbury before falling in the championship game. 

Match #22 – CAC Championship Match

Final Score: York 0, Mary Washington 4

Records: York 9-13, Mary Washington 11-10

Shots: York 5, Mary Washington 10

Shots on Goal: York 2, Mary Washington 5

Corner Kicks: York 1, Mary Washington 3

Saves: York 1, Mary Washington 2

Fouls: York 10, Mary Washington 8 

How It Happened:

• The Eagles seized control of the match early on as they found the back of the net a mere 3:53 into the game. Abby Zimmerman took the ball past a Spartan defender and slid a pass to Mikaela O'Fallon who hit a shot past Spartan goalie Cat McCarty for the 1-0 lead.

• The Eagles struck again a mere two and a half minutes later as O'Fallon hit a cross that found Brielle Mitchell. Mitchell finished the chance and the Eagles took a 2-0 lead less than seven minutes into the game. The goal was Mitchell's team-leading seventh of the year.

• The Spartans had a good chance on the ensuing possession as senior captain Natalie McCarthy put a shot on cage but Eagle keeper Allison Nook made the save. The Eagles finished the first half with a 5-3 edge in total shots and a 2-1 margin in shots on goal.

• The Eagles put the game away less than 15 minutes into the second half as they recorded back-to-back goals that came 36 seconds apart, turning a two-goal deficit into a four-goal bulge quickly. O'Fallon recorded her second goal of the game and fifth goal of the year with a tally off a Brooke Bauman assist at the 57:16 mark. Macey Wissell made it 4-0 with a goal off a Zimmerman assist, essentially putting the game out of reach.

• York got a shot on goal from Georgia Gillcrist in the 63^rd minute but Nook notched her second save and York wouldn't have another opportunity the remainder of the game.

Spartan Leaders:

Georgia Gillcrist: 2 shots, 1 shot on goal

Natalie McCarthy: 1 shot on goal

Eagle Leaders:

Mikaela O'Fallon: 2 goals, 1 assist, 3 shots, 2 shots on goal

Macey Wissell: 1 goal, 2 shots, 1 shot on goal

Brielle Mitchell: 1 goal, 2 shots, 1 shot on goal

Abby Zimmerman: 2 assists

Brooke Bauman: 1 assist

Goalie Comparison

Cat McCarty (YCP): 90:00 minutes played, 4 goal against, 1 save (Loss, 5-7)

Allison Nook (UMW): 90:00 minutes played, 0 goals against, 2 saves (Win, 7-6)

Notes:

Mary Washington leads the all-time series against the Spartans 21-11-5 as the Eagles went 2-1 against the Green and White this year with the home team winning all three matches … the match was the final one for the Spartans as a member of the Capital Athletic Conference as the Green and White heads to the MAC next fall … York is now 3-4 all-time in CAC Championship games … York is now 5-7 against Mary Washington in the CAC Tournament and 1-2 in CAC Championship games … the win for UMW is the first for the home team when matching up against the Spartans in a CAC Championship game … York finishes their stay in the CAC with an all-time tournament record of 20-17-7.

Up Next

The loss ends the Spartan season which means York must say goodbye to a memorable senior class as Natalie McCarthy, Jo Nicholson, Georgia Gillcrist, Ryan Hussey, and Ally Badman have concluded their York careers.