Central Places Five on Northeast Conference Women's Soccer Postseason Teams

Five Central Connecticut women's soccer players earned postseason honors tonight, it was announced by the Northeast Conference. The players were given their postseason awards at the annual banquet on the eve of the 2010 NEC Tournament, which begins on Friday. Seniors Beth Lloyd and Abby Graham earned first team honors, while senior Clio Tregear and freshmen Allison Kelley and Jewel Robinson earned second team honors. Central play top seed Long Island tomorrow at noon in the semifinals of the tournament, being held at Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Central's NEC All-Conference first team selections are Lloyd and Graham. No stranger to the All-Conference ballot, Lloyd makes her second straight appearance on the first team, ranking second in the NEC with 12 goals, four assists and 28 points. She has 27 career goals to go along with 16 career assists. Her 70 career points are fourth all-time at CCSU, as is her career goal total. After scoring just four goals in her first two seasons Lloyd hit her stride, booting 23 in the past two.

Graham's career at Central was spent on the other side of the field. The veteran's toils on defense went to good use this season as the Blue Devils only gave up five goals in the last nine games, lowering their goals allowed average from 2.2 to 0.55.

Central produced three NEC All-Conference second team members this season. Tregear and Kelley were named in the midfield along with defender Robinson. Tregear and Kelley each pitched in three goals each, while Kelley added six assists and Tregear added one. Kelley, an adidas/NEC Rookie of the Week selection, stacks up third in the league with six assists. Two of her helpers came during the Blue Devils' 3-1 triumph over Hartford when she connected with Lloyd for two of her three hat-trick goals.

Robinson, a freshman, contributed to Central's impressive finish to the season and eventual NEC playoff berth. She provided much needed backfield support during the all-important 0-0 standoff with Sacred Heart that punched the Blue Devils' ticket to the tournament.

The Blue Devil face #1 Long Island on Friday at 12 noon. They are playing in their ninth straight NEC Tournament, the longest active streak in the league.