Eastern Florida Women’s Soccer Scores National Tourney Berth

Women’s National Tournament Begins Nov. 17 On the Melbourne Campus of Easter Florida State

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The Eastern Florida Women’s soccer team secured their third straight national tournament berth on Saturday, winning 4-0 over Pearl River Community College on the Melbourne Campus. (EFSC image)

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Eastern Florida’s women’s soccer team’s leading scorers scored, its midfield and backline kept Pearl River Community College at bay and the Titans secured their third straight national tournament berth on Saturday, winning 4-0 on the Melbourne Campus.

Eastern Florida, which came into the NJCAA Division District H title game ranked third nationally, improved to 12-1.

Pearl River finished its season at 12-5-1. EFSC also beat Pearl River 4-0 in 2012 in Mississippi to advance to the national tournament for the first time.

The NJCAA Division I Women’s National Tournament begins Nov. 17 on the Melbourne Campus where EFSC will be joined by 11 other teams from around the country.

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Thanks to an opening goal by sophomore co-captain and leading scorer Jamie Perriello, above, who beat Pearl River goalkeeper Hailey Furlan from long range, and three from freshman Abbie Camargo, EFSC will once again play on the national stage. (EFSC image)

EFSC finished as national runner-up in 2012 and was eliminated in the first round in 2013.

Now, thanks to an opening goal by sophomore co-captain and leading scorer Jamie Perriello, who beat Pearl River goalkeeper Hailey Furlan from long range, and three from freshman Abbie Camargo, EFSC will once again play on the national stage.

Perriello scored 7 minutes and 44 seconds into the game to make it 1-0 with her 11th goal. Camargo scored with 4:02 to play in the first half for a 2-0 lead.

Camargo wrapped up the scoring with goals at the 42:23 and 12:15 marks of the second half, giving her 10 goals to go with her school-record 14 assists.

Freshmen goalkeepers Asmara Holmes and Denise Rodriguez shared the shutout, each playing a half.

As has been the case all season for EFSC, it was a team effort.

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Jeff Carr
Jeff Carr

“They’re the glue of the team,” Carr said of Perriello and Camargo.

“But there are so many individuals who helped with the success of this team. They are very close. The closest team I’ve had since I’ve been here. It’s a tribute to the leaders and the sophomores (Perriello, Samantha Solis and Stephanie Martin) and just the young ladies on the team. They are very unselfish. It’s about the team.”

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Titan coach Jeff Carr Carr blended 19 freshmen with the three sophomores (Stephanie Martin, Jamie Perriello, Samantha Solis) to give EFSC its fourth consecutive Region 8 title and its third straight District H championship. (EFSC image)

Carr blended 19 freshmen with the three sophomores to give EFSC its fourth consecutive Region 8 title and its third straight District H championship.

“The chemistry was important,” Carr said.

“They surprised me. But I thought realistically I had a goal of having one loss. Tremendous team this year.”

The tournament seeding for the four pools will be released on Tuesday.

“I would assume we would stay third,” Carr said.

“The nice thing is if you are a top four seed you play Monday and Wednesday. You get a day of rest so that’s huge for us. We didn’t have that last year.”

Perriello played in the 2013 tournament and relishes the opportunity 2014 presents.

Jamie Perriello
Jamie Perriello

We get another chance to prove ourselves,” Perriello said.

“I’m really excited. We like to get the job done and we did,” she added about Saturday’s victory.

Camargo, a Freshman center midfield from Ocala, Florida, credited her teammates for her success.

Abbie Camargo
Abbie Camargo

“I wouldn’t have gotten them without the help of my team,” she said of her goals. “It feels good. I knew we could do it tonight. In the pre-season I saw how we were a good team and I knew we were going to click.”