WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – It took penalty kicks to end the magical season that was the 2014 season as the Stags were upset by the fourth-seeded Rider Broncs in the Championship Final.  All five Rider Broncs stepped up and hit their chances to give the Broncs their first-ever MAAC Championship.  The Stags and the Broncs ended regulation in a 1-1 draw.

Fairfield (14-4-3) fought until the final minute, still adding suspense and excitement.  Chasing a goal in the 82^nd minute, Karolyn Collins took a long free kick from near the midway line to tie the score at 1-1.  The goal came after nine shots taken by the Stags who outshot Rider 11-5 in the contest.

Rider (12-5-3) only had five shots in the match but made them all count.  Midway through the second half Hollie Kelsh put the Broncs on the board with the decisive tally taking only the third attempt in the game for the Broncs.  Fairfield watched Ellie Smith deliver a pass into the center that Kelsh was able to put into the back of the net.

The Stags then struggled with bad luck.  Injuries to Torey Camporini and Emma Pichl changed the offensive flow that the Stags fought all match long to maintain. It also gave Rider more chances and more possession as the Stags struggled for a goal.

Pichl would return about ten minutes after injuring her leg.

The Stags had several chances in the second half before all the injuries.  Cassidy Boegel ripped a long range shot near the box that resulted in a team save.  Fairfield also had nine corners in the game with their best service coming in the 61^st minute when Anna Borea received the pass but her header went wide.

The two teams took a combined three shots in the final 20 minutes in the overtime period.  Borea had the lone attempt for the Stags but the shot was hauled in by the keeper.

The two teams fought evenly in the first half with Fairfield having a slight advantage on the offensive side.  Ashley Small gave constant problems to the backline of Rider with her speed.  Small went down twice in the penalty area but it did not draw the whistle from the referee.  The Stags earned three corner kicks in the opening frame.  Small had the best chance for the Stags in the stanza firing a shot to the near post that Bethany May Howard was able to catch on her knees.

Howard was really the difference make in the championship match.  The sophomore tallied six saves in the contest.

Rider did not get their offensive flow until the end of the half, but they gave the Stags something to worry about.  Off their first corner kick with under two minutes to go, the Broncs were able to break the ball free in the penalty area but the header from Smith sailed high.

Michelle Kowalski, Collins, and Borea were named to the All-Tournament team.

The 2014 season ended in the 11^th appearance in the MAAC Final in program history and the second straight season.  The squad also tallied 14 victories, which tied for third in a single season.  In addition, Head Coach Jim O'Brien became the all-time leader in wins in program history and would finish the season with 105 career wins at Fairfield.  The program also saw their 250^th victory.