FLUSHING, N.Y. – Making their third consecutive East Coast Conference (ECC) postseason appearance, head coach Thomas Paris and the Queens College women's soccer team have secured the No. 5 seed in the conference tournament.
 
The Knights will travel to Amherst, N.Y. to face the No. 4 seed Daemen University Wildcats at Royal Park in a first-round matchup, with the winner advancing to the semifinals for a chance to continue their postseason run for the second straight year.
 
Queens concluded the regular season with an overall record of 2-8-6 and a 1-3-3 mark in ECC play. The Knights earned a 1-0 victory over D'Youville, a 1-1 draw with St. Thomas Aquinas, and posted scoreless ties against both the College of Staten Island and defending champions Molloy University, the latter result securing the No. 5 seed.
 
Leading the Knights is senior midfielder Adriana Melgar (Queens, N.Y.), who was named to the All-ECC Third Team on Wednesday afternoon. This marks her second consecutive All-Conference honor. Melgar appeared in 14 matches, starting 13, and recorded one goal, the game-winner against Post University, along with two assists during the regular season.
 
Rookie Mia Goicochea (Fresh Meadows, N.Y.) leads Queens with a team-high five points, tallying two goals (including a game-winner vs. D'Youville) and two assists.
 
Redshirt-sophomore defender Ava Lekanides (Garden City, N.Y.) has started all 16 matches, contributing two goals and helping anchor a defense that posted five shutouts this season.
 
In goal, sophomore Samantha Hines-Hirsch (Plainview, N.Y.) has been a consistent presence, starting every match and recording 71 saves, a 1.40 goals-against average (GAA), and five shutouts. In conference play, she posted 24 saves, a 0.86 GAA, and three shutouts.

Scouting the Opposition – No. 4 Daemen University Wildcats

The Knights are set to meet the Wildcats in postseason play for the second consecutive year.

The Wildcats concluded the regular season with an overall record of 10-5-1 and a 4-2-1 mark in ECC play.

When the two teams met during the regular season on October 4, Queens tallied 23 total shots and 12 on goal, but Daemen earned a 3-1 victory, powered by ECC Offensive Player of the Year Kylie Miranto, who recorded one goal and two assists. The Knights' lone goal in that match was scored by Lekanides.

NEXT MATCH

If the Knights advance past Daemen, they will face the No. 1 seed Mercy University Mavericks, the regular-season champions, in the ECC semifinals. The match is scheduled for Sunday, November 9, in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., with kickoff set for 1:00 p.m.

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