CNE CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW: Women's Soccer Heads To Hartford Saturday For Championship Clash

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. — The second-seeded Endicott women's soccer team travels to Al-Marzook Field this Saturday for a 1 PM Conference of New England (CNE) Championship matchup with the top-seeded Hartford Hawks. Here's what you need to know for Saturday's game.

FIVE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

• The Gulls advanced to the CNE Championship after a double overtime draw with Suffolk. They then advanced on penalty kicks, 4-3, after some clutch goalkeeping from Samantha MacCormack (Danvers, Mass.) and four consecutive penalty kick conversions from Rhiann Dugan (West Boylston, Mass.), Alyssa McColl (Stoughton, Mass.), Gabrielle Klindtworth (Guilderland, N.Y.), and Olivia Pardo (Latham, N.Y.).
• Hartford is led by CNE Offensive Player of the Year Rebecca Opdenbrouw (Vernon, Conn.) and CNE Rookie of the Year Anastasia Nerney (Glocester, R.I.). The two ranked first and third in the CNE with 14 and 11 goals on the season, respectively.
• The Gulls are led by their strong defensive play, spearheaded by the efforts of CNE Defensive Player of the Year Rhiann Dugan (West Boylston, Mass.). The Gulls featured a 0.60 goals allowed average in CNE play this season, which ranks T-2nd in the league.
• First year head coach Lauren Pien has guided the Gulls to a 10-3-2 record (7-2 CNE) since 9/10/25.
• Hartford won the CNE Championship last season but was unable to advance to the NCAA Tournament due to the two-year waiting period following a divisional switch.

WHAT'S NEXT

The winner of Saturday's contest will be crowned the 2025 CNE Women's Soccer Champion and earn the league's automatic qualifier into the 2025 NCAA Division III National Tournament. The loser will await NCAA Tournament drawings and hope to receive an at-large bid.

For the latest on Endicott Athletics, follow the Gulls on social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Photo Credit - (Bradley Griffin '28)