WILMINGTON, North Carolina – UNCW's 16th win in the all-time women's soccer series against Towson, a 1-0 overtime thriller on Sunday afternoon, may go down in the record books as the sweetest victory.
Not only did it allow graduate student
JoAnnie Ramos and fifth-year senior
Audrey Harding to enjoy their final appearance at the UNCW Soccer Stadium with a win, but it vaulted the Seahawks to the first Colonial Athletic Association regular season title in the program's 28-year history.
Sophomore defender
Kara Mills netted the only goal of the game just over three minutes into the overtime period to secure the victory, giving UNCW the outright crown with a 7-2-0 league mark along with an 11-3-1 overall record.
Towson, which entered the regular season finale needing a win to stay alive for a berth in next week's CAA Championship, saw its season come to an end with an 8-7-3 record, including a 3-5-1 showing in the CAA.
Senior defender
Talia Parrous set up the game-winning play when her throw-in from the near sideline found freshman forward
Kayla Burroughs. Burroughs makes a long run toward the end line before sending a crossing pass into the penalty area to a cutting Mills, who slides in to knock the ball past sophomore goalkeeper
Riley Melendez for the first goal of her college career.
Freshman
Kaylie Bierman and sophomore
Blair Barefoot combined to make four saves as the Seahawks held Towson scoreless for just the fifth time in 18 games this season.
Melendez tallied four saves in the loss for Towson, which outshot UNCW by a 10-9 margin.
The Seahawks, who won the regular season title by one standings point over Hofstra, enters the CAA Championship on Thursday, Nov. 4, with a 4:05 p.m. semifinal matchup against fourth-seeded Northeastern at Elon University's Rudd Field.
