FROM STAFF REPORTS Rhode Island College junior Bryana Mullin (Warwick) finished 19th with a time of 20:08.38 as the 2019 Little East Women’s Cross Country Championship, hosted by UMass Dartmouth on Saturday afternoon.

Rhode Island College did not score as a team. Eastern Connecticut won the championship with a score of 48.0. It was a 5k race and there were 72 competitors at the meet.

Sophomore Trinity Hayes (Providence) finished 49th (22:43.63). Freshman Julia Kershaw (North Kingstown) finished 65th (25:42.99). Lady Knights fall to powerhouse Monroe The CCRI Knights women’s soccer team headed to New Rochelle, NY for a postseason matchup against the reigning National Champions and No. 1 Nationally Ranked (NJCAA DI Poll) Monroe College Mustangs. The Knights fought valiantly but, in the end, Monroe’s class sown through as the Mustangs won 6-0. CCRI ends the 2019 season with a 7-4-1 record overall and 4-0-1 in Region XXI play.

CCRI would take on Monroe College for the Region XV/XIX Title and ticket to the Northeast District Championship. The reigning champs came out strong as always, Scoring the game’s first goal in the ninth minute. The Mustangs would score four more goals in the first half and led the game 5-0 after 45 minutes.

CCRI solidified themselves in the second half, holding a tight line and pressing far more effectively in the central third. The Lady Knights got stuck in, winning tackles and challenging those 50/50s that had gone the way of Monroe in the first half.

Sophomore goalkeeper Maddie Brassard (Pawtucket) had an incredible second half making 12 saves in the 45-minute period and added to her three first half saves had a career high 15 stops in the CCRI net. Head coach Jim McGirr commented, “Maddie Brassard was tremendous for us, her last game for us was far and away her best game. We can’t speak highly enough of her performance today.”

The whole team was lifted by this performance and held strong only conceding one goal in the 84th minute. Monroe would hold on comfortably and win the game by a score of 6-0. The coaching staff couldn’t be prouder about their players. In particular, the sophomore showed amazing determination and leadership all season. Coach McGirr had this to say about his sophomores after the loss, “As for the rest of our sophomores, it’s not the outcome we wanted for their last match but this type of result can happen any time you’re playing for a regional championship.” 

The CCRI Knights women’s soccer team had a fantastic bounce back year going 7-4-1 overall and 4-0-1 in Region XXI play.