WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – All the storylines, milestones, and the moments that has been the 2014 season leads up to this. The women's soccer team will look to win their first MAAC Championship since 2008 when they face No. 4 Rider on Sunday at 3:00 PM on the campus on Monmouth University. It is the first meeting between the two in the playoffs since 2002.
THE FIGHT FOR THE TITLE: Fairfield will be going for their eighth MAAC Championship title and the first since 2008. All- time, Fairfield is 4-3-3 in the Championship Game, with their only losses coming in 1992, 2000, and 2013. Fairfield advanced on penalty kicks in 1993, 1995, and 1999 (all against Loyola). Fairfield advanced outright in 1998, 2005, and 2008.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Fairfield is coming off yet another suspenseful and exciting victory. The Stags fell behind 2-0 in penalty kicks to third-seeded Niagara but was able to make their final three shots, and Kathleen Early played the Stags' hero. Early had one of the more memorable moments in tournament history, stopping three straight penalty kicks to give the Stags the victory. Fairfield and Niagara finished the match in a 1-1 draw. Cassidy Boegel scored the biggest goal of her career, tying up the match in the second half. Fairfield out-shot Niagara 21-10 in the match.
FAIRFIELD LOVES PKS: The Stags are coming off the eighth penalty kick shootout in program history, and the third in four years. Fairfield has won seven of the eight times they have gone to a decisive shootout, with their only loss coming in 2011 against Marist. Kathleen Early has gone 2-1 in penalty shootouts in her career. This season, Early stopped a penalty kick against Stony Brook.
THE SERIES WITH RIDER: The Stags lead the all-time series with Rider 16-4 and has won nine of the 10 meetings between the two teams under Head Coach Jim O'Brien. The only setback for the Stags during that time came last season, even though Fairfield out-shot Rider 23-9 in that match. The Stags have never beaten Rider in the playoffs, losing two straight in 2001-02. The Stags and the Broncs opened up the 2014 MAAC Regular Season, with the Stags finding a way to take a 1-0 win. The Broncs dominated possession and momentum in the match, and out-shot the Stags 20-4 in the contest. The four shots were the fewest this season for Fairfield. The Stags had one chance, coming on a counter attack when Faith Daley put a cross into the box that Ash- ley Small was able to finish for the home victory.
SCOUTING THE BRONCS: Rider (12-5-2) will be looking for their first MAAC Championship in program history, and making their third appearance in the title game. The Broncs are playing for a title for the first time since 2002. The 12 victories ties a program record with the 2004 squad. Rider is led by Offensive Player of the Year Tara Ballay who has scored 11 goals in just 14 appearances. Michelle Iacono and Ellie Smith are tied for the team lead with five assists each. Bethany May Howard, who won the MAAC Defensive Player of the Week three times this season, is allowing 0.97 goals per game and has saved 85 percent of her chances. Rider upset top-seed Monmouth 1-0 to make the title match.
