Nov. 5, 2010

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Kingston, R.I. - Junior Macky Wingo recorded a hat trick, a first in league championship history, in Charlotte's 3-1 win over La Salle in the 2010 Atlantic 10 Women's Soccer Championship Semifinals, held at the URI Complex Friday evening.

Top-seeded Charlotte (16-4) took the lead after Wingo chipped a ball over the keeper from 10 yards out. Sixth-seeded La Salle (11-9) answered 16 seconds later at 13:24 when Morgan Golden connected on a cross from Heather Steadman, placing the ball in the lower left corner of the net.

Wingo scored her fourth game-winning goal of the season, as she and teammate Whitney Weinraub executed a give-and-go up the left side of the field before Wingo nailed a hard shot across the front of the goal into the right upper-90.

The 49ers sealed the victory as Wingo and Weinraub connected again, with Wingo scoring her third goal in the 34th minute.

"[La Salle] gave as much as we could handle tonight, but we were sharp, especially in front of the goal," Charlotte head coach John Cullen said. "We've been preparing well, we have great focus, good team chemistry and it showed."

La Salle keeper Gabby Pakhtigian booked 3 saves, maintaining her first-place ranking in the league, with 104 total saves on the season.

The Explorers out-shot the 49ers 11-9, but Charlotte held the advantage in shots on goal, 6-4.

QUOTES

Charlotte Head Coach John Cullen
On The Game:
"Tonight was a real tough game. It's the semifinals of the Atlantic 10, so we knew it was going to be a tough game. La Salle, we watched them play the previous night, and I thought they played very, very well and they gave as much as we could handle tonight. But we were sharp, especially in front of the goal. We've been preparing well, we have great focus, good team chemistry and it showed. Even when they got the goal back to tie it 1-1, you saw the response from us to come back and go straight back up 2-1. So really pleased, really proud and we move on to another final on Sunday."

On Their Offensive Strategy:
"I think strikers play off of confidence and right now [Wingo] and Weinraub and other players up front are just really confident around goal. We know we're creating chances and now we've got the players who are capable of taking those chances. We've talked all season about being clinical in front of the box and around the goal. And going back to last weekend too, we're really starting to find the back of the net with regularity so we hope we've got at least another game in us for Sunday."

La Salle Head Coach Paul Royal
On The Game:
"I just told the girls, I've had the chance to get to two NCAA tournaments with Villanova as an assistant coach and I told them this was my proudest moment as a coach. Seeing them leave everything out there. We played a wonderful second half today. Obviously, Wingo was the difference, today, three chances, three goals. But the passion and fight that our girls showed was remarkable and I was honored to coach them tonight."

--www.atlantic10.com--