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UB women’s soccer dominates all-ECC teams; Westhill’s Lazlo rookie of year

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UB freshman Jess Lazlo, right, a Westhill product, was named the ECC Rookie of the Year in women’s soccer.
UB freshman Jess Lazlo, right, a Westhill product, was named the ECC Rookie of the Year in women’s soccer.Jason Rearick / Hearst Connecticut Media

The University of Bridgeport, the East Coast Conference regular season and championship tournament winners, placed nine players on women’s soccer all-conference teams. The Purple Knights also dominated the league’s major awards, bringing home four of five of those accolades.

Freshman Jess Lazlo, a Westhill High product out of Stamford, was named the ECC Rookie of the Year. Junior midfielder Nicola Worthington was selected the Defensive Player of the Year and freshman Jennifer Wedelius was named the Goalkeeper of the Year. Bridgeport coach Magnus Nilerud, in his 17th season, was selected the Coach of the Year by his peers.

This year marks the third time in school history that the Purple Knights have hosted NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Championship Tournament first- and second-round matches. Bridgeport also served as hosts in 2009 and 2011

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This year's NCAA trip is Bridgeport's eighth in the last nine seasons. UB has advanced to the NCAA Division II Championship Tournament every season since the program’s first appearance in 2007 with the exception of 2012.

Last season, the Purple Knights defeated Philadelphia University 2-0 in round one and fell to the host Mercy College Mavericks 2-1 in the second round.

Laszlo burst onto the scene twith a team-high 20 goals and 46 points.

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Worthington, the Most Outstanding Player in this weekend’s ECC championship tournament, helped direct a Bridgeport defense that has allowed only seven goals and notched 15 shutouts in 20 matches heading into the 2015 NCAA Division II tournament.

Wendelius has a 0.38 goals-against average and has recorded a total of 10 solo clean sheets and shared two other shutouts.

Joining Laszlo, Worthington and Wendelius on the first-team all-conference are midfielder Flo Gamby and junior defender Julia Weidenmark.

Earning second-team honors are junior Amanda Moura and Hanne Neby.

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The Purple Knights also place a pair of players on the third team in junior defender Stephanie Vahos (Shelton) and sophomore midfielder Ariana Weingrad.

UB will host for the first- and second-round matches in the Division II tournament at Knights Field on Friday and Sunday. Bridgeport is the top seed in the six-team East Region, and the team receives a bye into Sunday's second-round match beginning at 1 p.m. UB will face the winner of Friday's first-round match, which will begin at 1 p.m. between No. 4 Roberts Wesleyan College and No. 5 LIU Post.

This year marks the third time in school history that the Purple Knights have hosted Division II first-and second-round matches.Bridgeport also served as hosts in 2009 and 2011

This year's NCAA trip is Bridgeport's eighth in the last nine seasons. UB has advanced to the NCAA Division II Championship Tournament every season since the program’s first appearance in 2007 with the exception of 2012.

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Last season, the Purple Knights defeated Philadelphia University 2-0 in round one and fell to the host Mercy College Mavericks 2-1 in the second round.

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