11/24/2008
2008 Women's Soccer Season Recap

The 2008 Clark womens soccer team had a remarkable run this fall. Not only did the Cougars knock off a trio of regionally ranked opponents, including Worcester State College (2-0), the 2007 & eventual 2008 ECAC Champions Brandeis University (1-0 OT), and Wellesley College (2-0)  which also topped the league at the time  but they also earned all their wins by shutout en route to a 7-10-1 (4-5 NEWMAC/6th) record.

Clarks defense was its calling card once again this year, as the team held some of New Englands best to just one goal in 1-0 losses to Keene State College, a 2007 ECAC Tournament finalist, Babson College and perennial NCAA contender Wheaton College.

After advancing to the NEWMAC Tournament for the fifth straight year, the Cougars, the sixth-seed, finally got past nemesis Babson College in an exciting penalty kick match in the first-round. Clark, which lost to the Beavers in PKs in last years conference tournament quarterfinals, played the third-seed to a scoreless double overtime tie before earning the 4-3 penalty kick advantage. Goalkeeper Joanna Clark 10 made a career-high 12 saves, netted the decisive penalty kick and then stopped Babson's final PK attempt to lift Clark to the NEWMAC semifinals for the first time since 2005.

Making their sixth appearance in the NEWMAC semifinal round since joining the conference in 1998, the Cougars dropped a heartbreaker to Wheaton College (1-0) in the final minute of the game to conclude their season.

Joanna Clark 10 and Julia Rizzo 09 represented Clark on the NEWMAC All-Conference second-team. It was the second straight year the duo received All-Conference honors.