Jess Gardner to Participate in NEWISA Senior Bowl

BOSTON, Mass. – Senior keeper Jess Gardner (Wilbraham, Mass.) has been selected to play in the 2012 New England Women's Intercollegiate Soccer Association's Senior Bowl, which will be played on Sunday, December 2, at Merrimack College.

A mainstay in goal for four seasons, Gardner, a co-captain of this year's team, played in all 19 games as keeper and posted a 1.81 goals against average, a .844 save percentage, and three shutouts. Her 162 saves this season tied a program record for saves in a season and she ranked 13th in the country (Division III) in total saves as of Oct. 21. She recorded a career-high 20 stops in a 1-0 loss to Emmanuel on Sept. 17. In addition to starting 16 games as keeper, she started three games as a field player and notched her first collegiate goal – the game-winning goal – in a 5-1 win over Framingham State on Oct. 9.

Gardner was Honorable Mention All-CCC both this past season and in 2010 and earned Second Team All-CCC in 2011. She holds the program's records for saves (507), saves per game (7.68), goalie games played (66), goalie games started (59), and ties (three). She ranks second with nine shutouts and 19 wins, third with a save percentage of .810, and sixth with a career save percentage of 1.98.

Wentworth finished the 2012 season with a 6-11-2 record. The Leopards made their first CCC Tournament appearance since the 2009 season with a sixth-place finish. Wentworth tied third-seeded Endicott, 0-0, in the quarterfinal round but fell, 3-1 in penalty kicks.