SPRINGFIELD, Mass. â€"Junior Kelly Gil (Pawtucket, RI) scored the only goal of the game with just 4:16 to go in regulation leading fourth-seeded Johnson & Wales University to a 1-0 victory over host and second-seeded Western New England College in the championship match of the 2005 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Women's Soccer Tournament Saturday at Suprenant Field.

Junior Kathryn Cherecwich (Howell, NJ) was credited with the assist on Gil’s team leading 16th goal of the season. Gil was named Most Valuable Player of the GNAC Tournament. Junior Leah Farrar (Uxbridge, MA), senior Monica Santos (Cumberland, RI), and junior Dailyn Tanner (Ipswich, MA) were named to the All-Tournament Team for the Wildcats.

The Golden Bears also had three players selected to the All-Tournament Team, senior Renee Robichaud (Peabody, MA) and juniors Jen Woishnis (Chicopee, MA) and Ashley St. John (Barre, VT). 

Junior goaltender Marisa Sullivan (Halesite, NY) made eight saves for Western New England College who finished the year with a 11-6-4 record. Freshman keeper Karisa Durkee (Newport, VT) made four saves while earning her seventh shutout of the season for Johnson & Wales. The Wildcats (13-6-1) now advance to the NCAA Division III Championship.

Story written by Steve Negron, Western New England College athletic communications intern