NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – The Sacred Heart University women's soccer team saw the 2021 season come to a close in the Northeast Conference semifinals on Friday night. The Pioneers fell to Fairleigh Dickinson, 5-3, in a high-scoring season finale. 
 
Records
Sacred Heart: 8-7-2, 6-4-1
Fairleigh Dickinson: 10-5-4, 7-2-2
 
Top Performers
Naemi Hausen (FDU): 2 goals, 1 assist, 2 shots
Grace O'Hara (SHU): 1 goal, 3 shots
Meadow Mancini (SHU): 1 goal, 3 shots
Christa Waterman (FDU): 1 goal, 1 shot
 
Goalies
Elyssa Kipperman (SHU): 7-7-2
Malene Nielsen (FDU): 10-5-4
 
Of Note 
The Pioneers took an early lead in the first seven minutes when Desiree Crawford crossed the ball across the box to a wide-open Grace O'Hara.
 
Fairleigh Dickinson knotted the score off a corner. The Knights were able to get their head on the ball which made its way just past the goal line. 
 
Meadow Mancini fired a shot that ricocheted off the post. The junior came up with her rebound and buried it into the back of the net to bring the lead back to SHU. 
 
FDU went on to score three more goals before the end of the first half as they grew to a two-goal cushion, 4-2. 
 
The Knights continued in the second half to put the nail in the coffin at the 54:31 mark. 
 
Junior Azria Malloy capitalized on a PK with 6:30 remaining to bring the game to its final score, 5-3. 
 
FDU led in shots by a small margin, 12-10, and, 4-3, in corners.