Brookhaven Finishes Third in Nation

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

BATAVIA, N.Y. – Dallas College Brookhaven women's soccer team beat Suffolk County Community College, 4-1, in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III third place match Sunday.

The Bears (13-3-3) scored a pair of goals in each half in a game they controlled the entire way. Four different players scored for Brookhaven, which went 2-1 at the national tournament. It was the Bears' sixth straight trip to the national tournament.

Kate Carlson scored an unassisted goal at the end of the eighth minute to put Brookhaven on the board first. Elyana Martinez made it 2-0 in the 24^th minute on an assist from Maradith Baker. It was Martinez's first goal, and also the game winner.

The Bears took the 2-0 lead into halftime. Brookhaven outshot the Sharks, 15-4 in the first half.

In the waning seconds of the 68^th minute, Alex Goncalves extended the Bears' lead to three goals when she scored on an assist from Natalia Banda. At the 71:39 mark, Taylor Fleming scored off an assist from Amanda Rocha to make it 4-0.

The Sharks (11-3-3) scored exactly a minute later when Yamileth Fuentes used a setup from Briana Alvarez to break up the shutout.

Both teams had five shots in the second half.

Brookhaven keeper Brianna Flores made one save in picking up her 12^th win of the season, which is tied for second among NJCAA Division III leaders. Suffolk keepers Maeve Arancio and Melissa Barahona each stopped three shots, with both facing five shots on goal apiece.

Under first-year head coach Alex Denning, the Bears won the Dallas Athletic Conference and NJCAA Division III South District titles, and held the No. 2 national ranking the majority of the season.

Gianna Antovoni and Baker were named to the All-Tournament Team.