Morehouse Turns in Third Consecutive Shutout

MANCHESTER, CT – Nicole Morehouse (Tolland) turned in her third consecutive shutout as MCC beat Dean College 3-0 Sunday afternoon at MCC. The Cougars have won five their last six – all by shutout – and head into the final week of the regular season with a 14-2 record.

MCC is the #1 seed in the NJCAA Region XXI Division III Championship Tournament next weekend in Holyoke and will play #4 Springfield Tech CC at 11AM Saturday October 25.

After a scoreless first half, Brittany Finger (Enfield) drilled a shot from the left corner of the box that bent the twine in the far corner, giving the Cougars a 1-0 lead eight minutes into the second half. Eight minutes later, Lindsay Estok (Middletown) did her best Brittany Finger imitation when she blasted a shot to the same out-of-reach location in the Dean net from the top of the box in the middle.

The Cougar defense was solid once again in front of Morehouse, who was only called on to make one save. Angeline Chiang (Granby), Amy Griswold (Ellington), Julia Connor (Ellington) and Heather Kowalski (Newington) roke up play after play in midfield and snuffed out many scoring chances before they developed.

“Everyone was great in the middle,” MCC Head Coach Alex Calpa said. “ Lindsay (Estok) once again, controlled the middle and had a great finishing shot. Everyone played well today. Very impressive.” It was Estok’s second goal in as many days and eighth of the season.

Chelsea Allen closed out the scoring, and Dean College, on a shot that banked in off the inside of the left goal post on a bounce from an Ashlyn Gates (Manchester) shot with three minutes to play.

“Dean is always a very good team to play,” Calpa said. “Very physical, a lot of heart. I’m glad we played well against a team like this because it is going to be like this once we get into the playoffs.”

Finger’s goal was her team high 15th of the season. She also picked up an assist on Estok’s goal and is the team leader with 41 points. Gates’ assist was her first point of the season in her eighth game after joining the team midway through the season. The 2008 Manchester High graduate is primarily a goalkeeper and has been a presence as both a defender and forward when not tending the goal.

Dean College ( 6-10) 0 0 0
MCC (14-2) 0 3 3
Goals: M – Brittany Finger, Lindsay Estok, Chelsea Allen. Saves; D –Stephanie Torosian 8; M- Nicole Morehouse 1.