D'Arcy Earns 175th Victory on Senior Night, Blue Devils Shutout LIU 3-0 in Finale
The Blue Devils roll to their sixth consecutive shutout.
Friday night's Central Connecticut women's soccer 2017 regular season senior night finale 3-0 win over LIU Brooklyn was a historic story book ending. The Blue Devils cruised to their sixth straight shutout tying the program record for the most consecutive shutouts of six set during the 2016 campaign. Central's 18th year head coach Mick D'Arcy surpassed the 175th career victory milestone as women's soccer's most-winningest coach of all-time. The Blue Devils now one of the top-15 hottest Division 1 soccer programs in the nation conclude their regular season slate at 10-7 and 6-2 in league play with the NEC Tournament one week away.
After starting NEC play 0-2, the Blue Devils wrote their name in the record books by allowing just two goals through the eight regular season conference matches, the least in women's soccer history.
Prior to kickoff, a pregame ceremony was held to honor the five CCSU women's soccer seniors Jennifer Cafferky, Kelly Halligan, Laura Casanovas Diaz, Brianna Scaldaferri and Alex Zampini in the final regular season match on their home turf. LIU Brooklyn ends the season with an overall record of 3-11-2 and 1-5-1 in the conference.
Midway throught the first half, the Blue Devils earned themselves three consecutive corner kicks that was the beginning of many rewards for the CCSU offense. The attacking pressure paid off at the 24 minute mark as CCSU's second leader in points, freshman Jenna Rae Covello, weaved through the heart of LIU Brooklyn's back line only to pass off a perfect ball to fellow classmate Erica Bardes who lofted her second goal of the season over the head of the Blackbird keeper into the right post, giving Central the 1-0 lead. Covello earned her first career assist on the play.
Sitting in the drivers seat at the half, the Blue Devils did not let up on the gas pedal in the second half pouring in two more goals. LIU Brooklyn's goal keeper, made an errant play on a hard drove cross from Halligan in the 53rd minute that resulted in the senior's second goal of the season. The strike ricocheted off of the goalie's glove and post as it trickled to the back of the net.
Six minutes later in the 59th minute of action, Halligan launched a corner into the middle of the box where Diaz awaited her first goal of the season heading in the pass in between multiple Blackbird defenders.
Central's junior keeper Ashley Cavanaugh posted her ninth shutout of the season as she improves to 9-6 this year. The Blue Devils dominated LIU in all aspects of the match out-shooting the Blackbirds 15 to a mere three. The Central defensive did not surrender a single corner kick.
With its spot in the 2017 Northeast Conference Tournament already solidified, the CCSU women's soccer team will have to wait until Sunday afternoon as the rest of the NEC members finish out their regular season slates to find out who stands in its way of the program's ninth conference championship. Further postseason information will be released on Sunday.
