Springfield, Mass. – November 3, 2012 – The top-seeded Springfield College womenÂ's soccer team knocked off fourth-seeded Babson College, 1-0, in the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Championship Semifinals on Saturday afternoon at the Irv Schmid Sports Complex.

Springfield improves to 13-4-1 on the season will take on the winner of the MIT/Wheaton semifinal in the conference championship on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 pm with an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Women’s Soccer Championship on the line. The loss dropped Babson’s record to 9-9-2.

In what proved to be a defensive battle, Nicole Fowler netted her fourth game-winning goal of the season in the 20th minute for the game’s only marker. Fowler took the ball in the middle of the field, made a move on one Babson defender, and drilled a shot from 18 yards out off the hands off the Babson goalie that found the back the net.

The second half was dominated by the Springfield defense as they kept the Babson scoring opportunities to a minimum. With 13 minutes remaining, the Beavers Kelly Hanley sent a shot towards the goal that was cleared off the line by Mary Hogan. Had it not been for Hogan’s key defensive stop, the game would have been tied.

The Pride’s final scoring opportunity came with four minutes remaining, as Ashley Carresi sent a screamer right at the goalie, which deflected back into play. Fowler ran onto the ball and blasted the rebound just over the crossbar.

For the game, Springfield owned a 7-3 cushion in shots, while Babson took four of the game’s five corner kicks.

Greenstein earned her ninth shutout of the season, making one stop. Babson keeper Melina Kapotsis finished with three saves in the loss.