FROSTBURG, Md. – For the third season in a row, the Frostburg State Women's Soccer team punched their ticket to the MEC Championship Game, defeating Concord 3-0 in Bobcat Stadium on Wednesday evening.
 
From the opening kickoff, FSU controlled possession in the Mountain Lions' half, winning a pair of corner kicks inside the first five minutes. On the latter, junior Mei Homman swung the ball all the way into the far netting for a stunning 1-0 Bobcat lead. As Frostburg kept up the pressure, junior Toni Fiocco-Mizer fired at goal a minute later, shooting just too close to CU keeper Savannah Bates.
 
At the 13-minute mark, yet another FSU corner was sent in by Homman, this time finding a wide open senior Lela Clark at the back post, who headed home to double the lead at 2-0. Fiocco-Mizer had another shot blocked four minutes later, before Concord finally grew their way into the game.
 
Alexa Todd was the main attacking outlet for the Mountain Lions, rising highest on a corner kick that was cleared off the line by junior Carolyn DeSena, then trying to beat senior Ashley Bilger at her near post, but seeing it bounce on one hop into her arms. On a ball played through by sophomore Morgan Mrizek, Fiocco-Mizer found her way into the box and thought she had the Bobcats' third of the night, but saw her effort bounce off the inside of the near post and into the hands of Bates.
 
Todd missed high and wide on two separate occasions in the final 10 minutes, then Bilger made another easy save to keep Concord off the board in the first half. Junior Keely Knotts took the last shot of the half, with Bates collecting the effort on a bounce in the last three minutes, with the sides headed to halftime at 2-0.
 
Frostburg came out of the half eager to add onto the lead, as sophomore Carly Gillette fired high and wide on a pair of efforts, junior Cat Smith planted a header just wide off a corner, and DeSena had a shot saved by Bates, all within the opening seven minutes.
 
As they had done in the first half, CU gradually found their opportunities, as Bilger made saves six minutes apart, neither effort providing too much trouble. Protecting their lead and setting up their defense, FSU blocked another shot, followed by Bilger again saving and two more blocked Mountain Lion efforts.
 
After the 20-minute spell of Concord pressure, Frostburg was able to break out and find their own scoring chances, with the visitors sending bodies forward in search of a way back into the game. Fiocco-Mizer and junior Mackenzie Alonso each had shots blocked, the latter nearly scoring on another corner, before the former fired off back-to-back efforts that were saved by Bates and wide left.
 
With time ticking down and the Mountain Lions running out of opportunities, Sydney Tucker thought she had the goal at her mercy after having space inside the box, but senior Hannah Thompson threw out a leg to make a fantastic block and clear the ball away. In the final minute of action, Homman cleared the ball with a huge boot up the field, which Fiocco-Mizer latched onto, beat her defender, and finished smoothly with her left foot past Bates to cap off the final 3-0 score line.
 
FSU enjoyed the majority of scoring chances, having 18 shots to CU's 13, with eight on target to the visitors' five. Bilger's shutout victory means that she is now the program's all-time leader in goalkeeping wins with the 49^th of her career, breaking previous standout Stephanie Zych's record of 48.
 
With the win, Frostburg improves to 17-1-2 on the year, while Concord drops to 12-6-2. The Bobcats advance to the MEC Championship Game to face Charleston (WV) on the road Sunday, November 12 at 1 p.m. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.