Nugent Headlines Women’s Soccer GNAC All-Conference Award Winners
WINTHROP, Mass. – The Rivier women's soccer team had four student-athletes named to Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) All-Conference Teams highlighted by junior goalkeeper Bri Nugent being named Goalie of the Year, the conference announced Wednesday afternoon.
Nugent added First Team All-Conference to her resume, while graduate defender Darcy Wright was named Second Team All-Conference, and senior defender Anna Gorman and first-year defender Nadia Laxa were named Third Team All-Conference.
Nugent posted career numbers in between the pipes this season, as she started in 18 of her 19 games played. The four-time Goalie of the Week recorded 10 shutouts this season, the most by any goalie in the GNAC. She recorded the third best save percentage in the GNAC (.803). The Killingsworth, Conn. native combined her career-best stoppage rate with a new career-high 98 saves which put her fifth in the conference and personal-best 1.20 goals against average.
Wright came to Rivier from Saint Joseph's College (Me.) this season. The Salem, N.H. native started in 19 of her 21 appearances during the 2024 campaign. During that time, she notched a career-high four goals, including two game winners, the first coming in the 2-0 win over Mitchell and the other coming in the 1-0 win over Regis (Mass.).
Gorman was a crucial member of the Raiders back line this season, starting in 20 of her 22 games played. This is the senior captain's second Third-Team All-Conference nod. The Dracut, Mass. native was a leading voice and a strong physical presence for the Raiders. Gorman was responsible for a lot of big tackles throughout the campaign and played a massive role in holding the No. 1 offense in the Nation, Emmanuel (Mass.), to just one goal in the Raiders 2-1 win on Sept. 28.
Laxa shined in her debut season with the Raiders. She tied Wright for most points by a defender with eight, coming by way of one goal and six assists. The Virginia Beach native logged her first career point and assist in Rivier's conference home opening 3-2 win over New England Col. The former GNAC Rookie of the Week found twine for the first time in her career in the 1-0 win over Saint Joseph's College (Me.)
The team allowed just 15 goals in GNAC play compared to 24 just a season to go, due to the role these honorees played.
The Raiders finished as the fourth seed this season and posted a 10-6-6 (9-2-4 GNAC) record. Rivier's efforts allowed them to play host in the playoffs for the first time since the 2000 campaign. After a 2-0 win over Albertus Magnus, the Raiders advanced to their first GNAC semifinals appearance since the 2000 campaign.
