Women's Soccer 11/6/2011 7:00:00 AM Atlantic 10 Conference

Dayton Claims Third Straight A-10 Women's Soccer Title

Nov. 6, 2011

DAYTON, Ohio-- Dayton junior Colleen Williams tallied a hat trick, including the game's first two goals, to lead the third-seeded Flyers to a 5-1 win over No. 4 Massachusetts in the Atlantic 10 Conference Women's Soccer Championship Finals.

Sunday's win at Baujan Field gives the Flyers (19-3-0) the A-10's automatic berth to the NCAA Women's Soccer Tournament. It was the third straight title for Dayton and the first appearance in the finals for UMass since 1997. It also marked the first time a No. 1 or No. 2 seed did not make the title game.

Williams, who was named the championships' Most Outstanding Player, wasted no time in scoring the game's first goal, giving the Flyers a 1-0 lead just 47 seconds into the game. Touches from Juliana Libertin and Stephanie Emery gave Williams the ball at the top of the box. William took a quick dribble and ripped a hard shot top shelf. The goal made Williams Dayton's all-time points leader.

Williams scored again just under nine minutes later. Josie Grant had a centering pass to Juliana Libertin that Libertin dumped to Williams for another top shelf goal.

Dayton took a 3-0 lead in the 30th minute when Grant again made a through pass to Stephanie Emery, who fired a shot that ricocheted off a UMass player and found the back of the net. The Flyers took the 3-0 lead into halftime.

Massachusetts (14-5-2) increased the offensive pressure on Dayton in the second half, getting five shots, but the Flyers countered with an offensive attack of its own, resulting in 11 shots for UD. One of those offensive pushes resulted in a 4-0 lead when Emily Kenyon was awarded a penalty kick in the 68th minute. Kenyon fired the goal to the lower left corner.

Williams got the hat trick with a turnaround shot following a Libertin pass in the box in the 71st minute. UMass avoided the shutout with a late goal by Alyssa D'Arcy, who scored an unassisted goal with just 14 seconds remaining in the game.

Dayton totaled 24 shots to the Minutewomen's six and held a 9-0 advantage on corner kicks. UMass made six saves to one by Dayton keeper Jordin Melchert.

Joining Williams on the All-Championship Team was Macky Wingo (Charlotte), Juliana Libertin (Dayton), Kelsey Smigel (Dayton), Jordin Melchert (Dayton), Maryam Huseini (La Salle), Julie Morrisey (Massachusetts), Cecilia Jensen (Massachusetts), Meghan Collins (Massachusetts), Natalie LeClair (Richmond), and Tori Burchett (St. Bonaventure).

Both Dayton and UMass will await Monday's NCAA Selection Show. Massachusetts, and the tournament's top two seeds, La Salle and Richmond, are under consideration for at-large bids.