Delhi, NY - The Broncos took on Cazenovia in the NAC West Finals and secured the trip to the NAC Championship next week after a 4-2 win. Delhi earned their first-ever birth to the Championship after losing to the Wildcats in the NAC West Finals the year before.
"So very proud. We've worked extremely hard to get to the NAC West Final. As a group, this season we tried not to focus too much on last year but when you see you're playing the program that ended your season the previous year it is hard to not want to remedy that," said head coach Zach Ward, "We went into the match thinking, Not Again."
The Broncos wasted no time, jumping out of the gates and scoring in the sixth minute. Kelsey Innes slotted away her third goal of the playoffs, again assisted by Olivia Curry. Curry now boasts a team-high eight assists on the year as Innes snagged her 14th goal of the season.
Innes would grab another goal off the back of sustained pressure put on by the Broncos. She placed the ball above the outstretched hands of the Cazenovia keeper in the seventh minute for the 50th goal of her career.
The Wildcats would struggle to find an answer for the Bronco's attack early as Delhi kept up the momentum. Olivia LeBrun would score next in the 12th minute from a precise Kelsey Innes through ball. That would be LeBrun's sixth goal of the 2022 season. Cazenovia would manage to cut the lead down to two after a goal in the 39th minute on their fourth shot of the game. Delhi would post nine shots in the first half.
It was a physical start to the second half as the two squads went back and forth. Delhi would tally one more from a Casey Bugbee goal off the rebound off a Micayla Slattery shot in the 55th minute. Bugbee has posted four goals on the season as she has played very well in the midfield.
The Wildcats would show late life with a goal in the 82nd minute to cut the deficit back to two despite solid Bronco efforts. But the two-goal deficit would prove to be too much as the Green and Gold would take the match 4-2.
"I'm really proud of my group and the commitment these 27 players have made to each other. Loved the work rate from everyone today. I'd also like to make a special note for Caz's Jenicah Brown," said coach Ward, "Thought she was outstanding on the afternoon and really made it difficult for us throughout the 90 minutes. We're NAC West Champs in 2022 and are setting the standard for years to come."
The Broncos secured their first-ever NAC West Division title and will move on to face the Husson Eagles on the road in Bangor, Maine next Saturday, November 5th at 1 p.m.
