Women’s soccer reaches end of the road in A-10 semifinals
The St. Joe’s women’s soccer team finished their season with a 1-0 loss to Virginia Commonwealth University in the Atlantic 10 semifinals on Nov. 3.
The Hawks entered the tournament as the seventh-seeded team forcing them to face the second-seeded team, Saint Louis University, on Oct. 28. Despite playing as a significant underdog, St. Joe’s upset the Billikens by a score of 1-0. Junior Michaela Finneyfrock scored in the first half for the game’s lone goal. Backed by junior goalie Grace Bendon’s nine saves, the Hawks’ defense held St. Louis scoreless as the Crimson and Gray handed St. Louis their first home loss of the season.
In the next round of the tournament, the game against VCU was scoreless at the half, but it was the Rams’ Megan Dell who capitalized with a goal in the 71st minute to keep the Hawks out of the running for the A-10 title.
The Rams went on to lose to La Salle University by a score of 1-0 in the championship game.
Seniors Lauren Dimes and Lindsay Walder became the first Hawk class ever to reach four consecutive A-10 Tournaments.
Bendon was named to the 2017 A-10 All-Championship Team after posting a .938 save percentage in her two games. She ended the season tied for second in program history for wins in a season with 11.
The Hawks finished their season with an 11-6-3 overall record and 5-3-2 record in A-10 play. Sophomore Gabrielle Vagnozzi was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Conference Second Team and freshman Morgan Bower made the All-Rookie Team.
Vagnozzi, the reigning conference Rookie of the Year, led the Hawks in points with 17 and tied for the team lead in goals with seven. After two seasons, she is tied for fourth in St. Joe’s history in assists with 14.
Bower was the other to score seven goals for the Hawks this season and was right behind Vagnozzi for the team lead in points with 16. Named the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week twice this season, Bower also supplied the Hawks with two game-winning goals throughout the year.
The Hawks will graduate Dimes and Walder, but should see seven new senior faces in next year’s campaign as they look to continue their streak of success.
