NEWARK, Del. (November 17, 2024) – No. 1 seed Thomas Jefferson University defeated No. 2 seed Caldwell University, 2-0, in the championship match of the 2024 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Women’s Soccer Championship tournament on Sunday afternoon. The game was hosted by Wilmington University at the WilmU Athletics Complex.
Jefferson (17-1-2) did not lose to a conference opponent either in the regular season or in the conference tournament, outscoring opponents, 7-1, during the playoffs. The 2024 CACC championship is the program’s fourth in the last six years and its seventh overall. The Rams secure the CACC’s automatic berth into the 2024 NCAA Division II East Regional Championship.
Jefferson scored once in each half on Sunday, taking the lead on an 18th minute goal by graduate student Kiery Spatz. The Rams pushed the lead to 2-0 just 3:49 into the second period on a Jeena Pressley tally. The Jefferson defense held Caldwell (12-5-2) to eight shots.
Ram senior goalkeeper Liv Riddel was named the Tournament Most Valuable Player. Riddel was also the 2023 and 2024 CACC Goalkeeper of the Year. Jefferson looks forward to the NCAA Division Women’s Soccer selection show on Monday at 6:30 p.m.
2024 CACC WOMEN'S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP
Quarterfinals (Monday, Nov. 11, at Sites of Higher Seeds)
#1 Jefferson 2, #8 Holy Family 1
#4 Georgian Court 2, #5 Bridgeport 1 (ot)
#2 Caldwell 0, #7 Chestnut Hill 0 (Caldwell advances on PKs, 4-1)
#6 Dominican 2, #3 Wilmington 1
Semifinals (Thursday, Nov. 14, at Sites of Higher Seeds)
Jefferson 3, Georgian Court 0
Caldwell 3, Dominican 0
Championship Final (Sunday, Nov. 17, at Wilmington University)
Jefferson 2, Caldwell 0
2024 CACC WOMEN'S SOCCER ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Jessie Maraia (Dominican)
Kaitlyn Zeeb (Dominican)
Chelsea Lavezzo (Georgian Court)
Sophia Ridolfo (Georgian Court)
Ariana Gaminara (Caldwell)
Taina Gervais (Caldwell
Rosio Cardenas (Caldwell)
Isabella VItella (Caldwell)
Nikki Dedes (Jefferson)
Kiery Spatz (Jefferson)
Kyra Lesko (Jefferson)
Carly Yeager (Jefferson)
Jeena Pressley (Jefferson)
Liv Riddel (Jefferson)
MVP: Liv Riddel (Jefferson)
2024 CACC WOMEN'S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP TOP XVII AWARD
(Student-Athlete with the Highest Cumulative Grade Point Average at the Finals Site)
Megan Feehan (Caldwell University, 3.97)
The Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its affiliation with NCAA Division II. Conference institutions compete for championships in 18 sports – eight for men, nine for women, and one co-ed. The CACC contains 12 members in Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Membership includes Bloomfield College of Montclair State University, the University of Bridgeport, Caldwell University, Chestnut Hill College, Dominican University New York, Felician University, Georgian Court University, Goldey-Beacom College, Holy Family University, Post University, Thomas Jefferson University, and Wilmington University.