BIDDIFORD, MAINE – For the 12^th time in program history and the first time since 2017, the sixth-seeded Roger Williams University Women's Soccer team advanced to the Commonwealth Coast Conference Finals following a 2-0 shutout of the second seeded University of New England in the CCC Semifinals on Wednesday night at Blue Storm Stadium. Morgan McCutcheon (Danbury, Conn.) made five saves in a shutout victory in goal for the Hawks.
 
With the win, RWU earns the chance to play for their eighth CCC Championship on Saturday evening against the fourth-seeded Fighting Scots of Gordon College who upset the top seed, Endicott College earlier in the evening. For UNE, however, their season is likely over with a final record of 12-6-1, though they have a chance to receive an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament.
 
Leah Yucius (Duxbury, Mass.) netted the game-winning goal in the 31^st minute for Roger Williams before Rafaella Brunetti (North Providence, R.I.) added an insurance tally later while Bianca Robbins (Johnston, R.I.) provided an assist on each score to back McCutcheon's fourth shutout effort of the season in net.
 
Hawk Highlights
Leah Yucius: 1 goal (GW), 3 shots, 2 shots on goal
Bianca Robbins: 1 goal, 1 shot, 1 shot on goal
Raffaella Brunetti: 2 assists, 2 shots, 2 shots on goal
 
Morgan McCutcheon: 5 saves, 0 goals allowed, 90:00 minutes in goal
 
For The Opponents
Tori Keyes: 3 shots, 2 shots on goal
Marie Hoehner: 3 shots, 2 shots on goal
Bella Reil: 2 shots, 1 shot on goal
 
Sydney Gillingham: 4 saves, 2 goals allowed, 90:00 minutes in goal
 
How It Happened
On a chilly autumn evening in Maine, it took a while for the offenses to warmed up. The first 30 minutes were very quiet as the teams managed just five shots combined with each side only sending one look on frame and could not connect. That was until the Hawks broke though in the 31^st minute.
 
With the ball on the right side of the pitch, Bianca Robbins (Johnston, R.I.) retrieved a loose ball before deferring to Sarina Olson (Bristol, R.I.) with a short back pass. From just shy of midfield, Olson sent a long feed to the streaking Leah Yucius (Duxbury, Mass.) down the middle of the field, drawing out the UNE goalkeeper Sydney Gillingham (Standish, Maine). Off one bounce, Yucius was able to handle it from just beyond the six-yard box and chipped it over Gillingham and into the left side of the net for the opening tally, her tenth of the season.
 
Outside of the one goal, neither side got much going offensively in the half. The teams evenly split the eight shots in the first half of play though RWU had two shots on goal against just one for the Nor'Easters and received four of the five corner kicks in the stanza.
 
The shots came in bunches in the second half as both squads upped their offensive pressure, but the score held until the 86^th minute when the Hawks put it out of reach.
 
Robbins collected the ball around midfield, spun off a defender, and proceeded to slice her way through virtually the entire UNE defense all the way to the top of the 18. As the Nor'Easter forces collapsed around her, Robbins sent a feed to a wide-open Raffaella Brunetti (North Providence, R.I.) from about 12 yards away, and she fired a shot into the left side of the goal for her third goal of the season, and the dagger score to send UNE home for the winter.
 
When the dust settled, the Nor'Easters took more shots, 11-9, but Roger Williams was better at making them count, firing six shots on goal against five for UNE. Corner kicks, meanwhile, ended up even at six a side.

Coach's Corner
The result speaks for itself. We came in with lots of confidence and a desire to play for 90 minutes and outscore our opponent. We have galvanized our defensive responsibilities and knew if we scored the first goal we would be difficult to beat. We are full of goals but defense is the area we wanted to show we could do well in and absolutely no question we achieved that task. We controlled the game with and without the ball. We deserved the 2-0 win. 

We took our hits tonight, but we stayed disciplined and focused. Our eyes were on the goal and the scoreboard. We got ourselves in a winning position and refused to give  into anything the opposition threw at us. We produced a tough, hard as steel, we can hold our own, complete performance. Our gameplan worked, we played technical when needed, we kept to the basics, and made them defend our attacking players. We played like collegiate soccer players at the top of their game. We can compete and play with the best of them, and we showed tonight by beating UNE for the second time this year, we are a good team and a team to be taken seriously. Everyone performed at a high level in all departments. It was not a fluke and luck did not have an impact on the game, we earned the right to play and win the match tonight. We made every tackle, won ever header, made a lot of quality passes, and finished with two outstanding goals. Our keeper got the shutout with the help of our backline who worked as a unit to limit their chances for the entire match.

To progress in a a tournament you need to do all the little things and do them consistently for 90 minutes, and that is what we have done for the last two games. That has allowed us to reach the final. We showed to everyone, but most importantly we showed ourselves that good things happen when you do good things. Like everyone else, we have half the team who had no college experience back in August, and we have had a few bumps in the road, however we have continued to move forward with the goal of getting to the championship game. Each game we have played this season has helped us learn what it takes to be a championship program again, we have a great history of winning championships. This team has that opportunity as well now. We recruit players that want to be in this situation come November and step up to the challenge and enjoy the pressure, live for it. We are getting stronger and it is time to finish the job.
 
What's Next
Roger Williams (14-7-0) punched their ticket to the CCC Finals seeking their eighth championship. To do so, the Hawks will first have to travel to Wenham, Massachusetts to tangle with Gordon College (14-3-1) on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 4:00 PM.
 
For the University of New England (12-6-1), their 2021 season comes to a close.