October 29, 2008
HURD POWERS EAGLES INTO SEMIFINALS, 2-0
- DWC Wins First Ever Playoff, Sets Program Wins Mark -

Nashua – Making their first appearance in a postseason game in eight years, the Daniel Webster College women’s soccer team found the right recipe for success against Bay Path College with two dashes of Erin Hurd and a healthy helping of stingy defense.

Hurd netted two second half scores 13 minutes apart and the fourth-seeded Eagle defense smothered the fifth-seeded Wildcats to the tune of just two total shots with neither finding their way to the net on the way to a 2-0 victory in the quarterfinals of the inaugural New England Collegiate Conference tournament at cold and blustery Eagle Field Wednesday.

The win sends the Eagles into their first conference semifinal Saturday when they travel to regular season champion and top seed Elms College for a 6:00 p.m. matchup.

The win was satisfying on two fronts as the Eagles not only won their first ever playoff outing (in just their second ever playoff game), but the 8-8 overall record it gave them set a new season victories record in the process, surpassing the 7-12 squad of 2002.

The Eagles controlled the tempo throughout, racking up seven shots in goal in the first period, but could not solve Wildcats keeper Samantha Gunseth , who gamely finished with eight saves on the day.

But the Eagles finally broke through in the second as Hurd took a TC DiSantis (Hinsdale, Mass.) feed and knocked a 10-yarder past Gunseth at the 70:47 mark, touching off a loud celebration by the hardy patrons who braved the conditions.

Hurd added an insurance tally with 16:22 remaining sending the Eagles into Saturday’s semifinal.

Amy Waller earned the victory in goal.