Women's Soccer Championship Bound; Clough Sets Assists Record

CONTACT: Adam Sopris, a.sopris@hvcc.edu, 518-629-7898 or 518-416-2137
FOR RELEASE: Immediate, Thursday, October 31, 2019

Hudson Valley Community College women's soccer (12-3) have hit their stride and it could not have come at a better time in the season. The Vikings won their sixth straight game and earned a berth in the NJCAA Region 3 District A Championship game after defeated No. 5 Genesee 5-0 at the Outdoor Athletic Complex on the campus of Hudson Valley Community College on Thursday afternoon. 

The 2019 NJCAA Region 3 Championships are hosted by Herkimer College and the Vikings are scheduled to face off against the region's top team, the Mohawk Valley Hawks at a time that has yet to be determined. The Hawks defeated Hudson Valley earlier this season 4-1 on Sept. 18 in Utica, NY. 

A match that appeared to take on another low-scoring affair quickly turned into an offensive clinic in the second half for the Vikings. As the game approached halftime, the Vikings duo of Grace Cusack (Lansingburgh/Lansingburgh) and Brooke Clough (Latham/Shaker) kicked off the scoring with nearly five minutes remaining. Clough dribbled up the far sideline and sent a left cross into the center of the box where Cusack sent the ball to the lower left corner for the goal. 

Clough's assist, her 21^st of the season, broke the Vikings 29-year old single season assist record, breaking a tie with Stacy Call, who set the record with 20 assists in 1990. 

Nearly halfway through the second half, Morgan Catlin (West Sand Lake/Averill Park) and Cusack extended the Vikings lead to 3-0 in a four-minute span. Catlin scored first with 29:18 remaining in the game as she collected a deflected shot off the Cougars' goalpost and sent it to the back of the net for Hudson Valley's second goal of the game. Cusack's second goal of the game came on an assist from Catlin with 25:26 remaining in the game. Catlin collected a fast break pass from Clough and dribbled up the far side of the field. Cusack positioned herself in the middle of the field, outrunning Genesee's defensive backs for the open shot on goal. 

Clough scored in the second straight game against the Cougars, as she scored the winning goal on Saturday, which gave the Vikings today's home field advantage. On a corner kick from Cassie Patrick (Schuylerville/Schuylerville), Clough positioned herself behind the defensive line and was able to put her foot on the incoming pass and placed it into the top left corner for the goal. 

A few minutes later, the Vikings added their fifth goal from Catlin scored her second goal of the game, which was similar to Cusack's previous goal. Catlin hustled down the middle of the field with the fast break and send the shot over the head of the oncoming goalkeeper for the goal. 

In the process of earning earned a 1-0 win at home against a tough Genesee opponent and was awarded the No. 4 seed in the 2019 NJCAA Region 3 postseason tournament. 

Vikings goalkeeper, Bailey Dunn (Saugerties/Saugerties) recorded 5 saves for her third straight shutout win as the Vikings remained undefeated in October. Dunn made a few stellar saves towards the end of the game to preserve the shutout victory. 

The win cements the best three-year period for the women's soccer program as they have now won 35 games over that span and returns to the NJCAA Region 3 Championship day for the second time in three seasons.