GARDEN CITY, N.Y.- The Caldwell University women's soccer team, seeded at #6 in the NCAA Division II Championship, competed against the #3 seed LIU Post in the First Round. The Pioneers prevailed 3-0 to advance to the Second Round of the NCAA D2 Championship.
The Cougars end their season at 12-8-2, while the Pioneers improve to 15-3-2 and will face the #2 seed Adelphi University in the Second Round of the NCAA D2 Championship.
LIU Post got on the board in the 12th minute of the opening half as they took an early lead. The Pioneers added a second goal nine minutes later as they took a 2-0 lead into halftime. Caldwell trailed in shots at halftime 11-2.
The Cougars had a few scoring chances in the second half but the Pioneers added to their lead in the 65th minute to go up 3-0. LIU Post controlled the action as they outshot the Cougars 8-4 in the second half and 19-6 for the game.
Senior
Kylie Whalen (Hazlet, N.J.), playing in her final collegiate contest, posted seven saves. Sophomore
Emily Valerian (Roseland, N.J.) led Caldwell with two shots in the game.
The 2016 season was a tremendous success for the Cougars. A Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference preseason #4 pick, Caldwell exceeded expectations as they finished in second place in the CACC with a 9-3 conference mark. Caldwell went on to win their second CACC Championship in the past four seasons and earned their second NCAA Division II Championship bid as the #6 seed.
The loss also marked the end of the four graduating seniors in Whalen,
Jessica Garretson (Atco, N.J.),
Delaney Boyer (Freehold, N.J.) and
Randall Stafford (Redwood City, Calif.).
Whalen posted a career mark of 16-9-1 in three seasons (missed 2015 due to an injury). She finished her career with eight shutouts and 115 saves. Garretson was a staple on the Cougar defense for her career as she was a primary starter for three seasons. She played in 76 games, starting 56 in her four seasons and totaled three goals and five assists with one game-winner.
Boyer has also been a solid contributor on the defensive end, playing in 80 games and starting 51. She netted four goals with six assists and two game-winners. Stafford missed played in only three games last season due to injury but has played in 40 career games with one goal (a game-winner) and two assists.
Head Coach
Nate Guagliardi, in his tenth season with the Cougars, has taken three of his last four squads to the CACC Championship game. Guagliardi led the Cougars to their first CACC Championship and first-ever NCAA Division II Tournament bid in 2013. The Cougars fell in the championship game to Philadelphia University last season and took home the crown in 2016 to secure their second NCAA D2 Tournament bid in program history.
