Box Score

MT. PLEASANT, S.C. -- The Northeastern women's soccer team clinched a spot in the CAA playoffs on Sunday with an impressive 3-0 victory over the College of Charleston at Patriots Point. 

Sophomore Krista Meaglia broke a scoreless tie with her first goal of the season in the 61st minute, before freshman Kayla Cappuzzo added her second goal in as many games 10 minutes later. Then, with less than a minute left in the second half, junior Shayna Blackwood flicked home a header from an impossible angle to put the cherry on top of a dominant performance. 

The win, coupled with James Madison's loss to Delaware, puts the Huskies (11-4-2) in sole possession of first place in the CAA with a 6-1-0 conference record. The victory also handed NU its NCAA-leading 13th shutout and seventh clean-sheet in the last eight games.

The Huskies' defense dominated from start to finish, limiting Charleston (5-11-1, 1-6-1 CAA) to only two shot attempts and no corner kicks as senior keeper Paige Burnett picked up her 26th career shutout. Northeastern placed seven shots on target and attempted nine corners en route to clinching a playoff berth for the fourth straight season.

After a quiet first half, the Huskies delivered the decisive blow just over 15 minutes into the second stanza. Senior Lahaina Zoller outraced a Charleston defender to a ball in the box, and then squared a pass back across the box to Meaglia, who slotted home with a cool, first-time finish at the left post.

Just over 10 minutes later, Northeastern added an insurance goal when sophomore Skylar LeBlanc delivered a cross from the left wing to an unmarked Cappuzzo, who tapped the ball by Charleston keeper Lauren Killian in the center of the box at the 70:03 mark. The assist was the first point in the collegiate career of LeBlanc, who was making her 38th appearance Sunday.

The Huskies kept their foot on the gas and tacked on a third when redshirt freshman Taylor Caparo crossed to Blackwood at the left endline for a flick header that looped over the head of Killian and inside the far post with 35 seconds left. The goal was Blackwood's first of the year and gave Northeastern its 12th different goal scorer of the season.

Northeastern will wrap up the regular season next weekend with a pair of home matches against Delaware (Friday, 6 p.m.) and Drexel (Sunday, 1 p.m.). 

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