Aug. 28, 2009

Florida State Blanks South Alabama 8-0

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Fifth-ranked Florida State (2-0-0) posted its second consecutive shutout defeating South Alabama (1-1-0) 8-0 Friday evening at the Seminole Soccer Complex. Seven different Seminoles contributed with a goal, while junior Rachel Lim set a career-high by scoring twice against the Jaguars. Sophomore Jessica Price tallied five points on a goal and three assists setting a career-high for points in a game, while tying the single-game school record for assists.

In just two games, Florida State has outscored its opponents 15-0 while 10 different Seminoles have tallied at least one goal so far this year. The 15 goals in the first two games are the most scored by a Seminole team to open a season.

On the defensive end, the Seminoles held South Alabama to just one shot on Friday night and have allowed just four shots in the first two games including one shot on goal.

Boston College Women's Soccer Rolls Past Fairfield, 5-0

Chestnut Hill, MA - Junior forward Brooke Knowlton scored two goals to lead Boston College past non-conference foe Fairfield University, 5-0, on Friday night at the Newton Soccer Field. The Eagles will play next on Wednesday, Sept. 2 when they host Boston University at 7 p.m.

Boston College dominated play as the Eagles out shot the Stags, 28-1. The Eagles had 16 shots on goal including five from Knowlton and four from freshman Victoria DiMartino. BC also had 10 corner kicks while Fairfield had one.

Knowlton, who led the Eagles in scoring in 2008 with nine goals, scored her first goal of the night at 13:32 when she was sent into the box by freshman Kristen Mewis. Knowlton dribbled deep into the box, pulled the ball back, away from a defender and ripped a shot to the far post past a diving Fairfield keeper Kelly Boudreau for a 1-0 BC lead.

Terps Sink Pirates, Move to 3-0

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Goals by freshmen Olivia Wagner and Caitlin Mooney propelled the University of Maryland women's soccer team to a 2-0 victory over Seton Hall on Friday night at Ludwig Field. The win gives the Terps their first 3-0 start to a season since 1996.

The Terps held on to the 1-0 lead, but kept the pressure on the Seton Hall defense. Sophomore Sade Ayinde, who played center back for the Terps last year, came off the bench as a forward and made her presence felt with three shots. Freshman Danielle Hubka was also impressive coming off the bench with her aggressive play. But it was Mooney, another reserve, who gave Maryland its insurance goal in the 81st minute.

Maryland's defense was solid all evening and limited the Pirates to one shot on goal and just two shots overall. The starting backline of Brittany Cummins, Mallory Baker, Skyy Anderson and Megan Watson played a tremendous game and freshman Erica Page proved up to the task when she had to replace Cummins midway through the second half due to a minor injury.

Heath's Spectacular Night Leads Carolina Past UCF

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Senior midfielder Tobin Heath produced a pair of world-class finishes while assisting on another tally in leading the top-ranked University of North Carolina women's soccer team to a 4-0 victory over UCF Friday night in the second game of the Carolina Nike Classic at Fetzer Field. A crowd of 1,000 sat through a steady downpour to see Carolina improve to 2-0 on the season while UCF fell to 1-1.

Carolina opened the scoring in the 22nd minute Friday night against the Knights. Sophomore Courtney Jones scored her second goal of the season at 21:27 after gathering in a ball sent over the top of the defense by Heath and then beating the UCF goalkeeper, Aline Reis, one-on-one from the right side of the penalty area.

The Tar Heels closed the scoring at 73:16 as sophomore forward Brittani Bartok redirected a cross by Washington into the back left corner of the net for her first goal of the season. Freshman midfielder Amber Brooks gave Washington the initial feed and after dribbling into the penalty area Washington found Bartok unattended in front of the goal for the put away.

Cavaliers Top Liberty 5-0 in Home Opener

CHARLOTTESVILLE - The No. 14 Cavalier women's soccer team began its 2009 home schedule in style, posting a 5-0 victory over Liberty in front of 1,060 fans at Klöckner Stadium. First-year Caroline Miller (Rockville, Md.) had a goal and three assists to lead the Cavaliers, who even their record at 1-1 on the season.

The Cavaliers opened the scoring in the seventh minute of play. Lauren Alwine (Elizabethtown, Pa.) played a cross to Meghan Lenczyk (McLean, Va.), who tapped it in from the six-yard box for Virginia's first goal of the season. The lead was doubled in the 35th minute.

Virginia outshot the Flames 33-3 in the contest and had a 15-0 corner kick advantage. Chantel Jones (Midlothian, Va.) made two saves to record her first shutout of the season and the 14th of her career. Karen Blocker made eight saves for Liberty.

Kate Howarth's Hat Trick Leads to Hurricane Victory

CORAL GABLES - The University of Miami women's soccer team (2-1-0) overpowered the Ball State Cardinals (0-1-0) Friday night at Cobb Stadium as freshman Kate Howarth recorded a hat trick in the 5-1 victory.

Howarth, a starter for the first two games of the season, came off the bench and scored three goals in just her third collegiate game.In the 37th minute, Howarth scored her first of three goals, as she played a long cross at midfield to a streaking Danielle Bidegain. After a great play to prevent the ball from crossing the sideline, Bidegain served up a perfect ball back to Howarth, who headed it in over the head of the charging keeper.

The five goals for the `Canes were the most since an 8-0 win over Alabama A&M on Sept. 2, 2007. That game was also the last time a Miami player recorded a hat trick, when Brittney Steinbruch and Lauren Singer each scored three goals.

Cain Is Able In Leading Wolfpack Over Davidson

RALEIGH, N.C. - Sophomore forward Tanya Cain scored three goals to lead the NC State women's soccer team to a 4-1 victory over Davidson on a Friday night from rain soaked Dail Soccer Field.

Cain would capitalize on NC State's first real scoring chance of the night in the 13th minute when sophomore Paige Dugal served a pass to Cain and she lofted a shot that the Davidson keeper barely got her finger tips on, but the momentum of the slick ball continued towards the net and it ultimately went over the goal line for her second marker of the season.

Ironically, the last hat trick for the Wolfpack also came against Davidson when former star Lindsay Vera turned the trick in the 2007 season opener, a 5-1 NC State victory.

Hokies Fall Just Short to Villanova, 2-1, in Double Overtime

VILLANOVA, Pa. - After a long battle through two overtimes, the Hokies (1-1-0) fell just short to the Wildcats of Villanova (2-0-0) in their first of two games this weekend at the Villanova Classic. Freshman Sloane Levin was the only Hokie to score as the team finished the game with 20 shots. Katie Ryan and Kelly Eagan netted goals for the Wildcats; Eagan was credited with the game winner.

The first half of play was a scoreless battle with each team coming close to scoring on several occasions. Both teams finished the first half with six shots each, but the Wildcats were able to open things up just before the half as forward Katie Ryan scored in the 34th minute from the right side.

Just before the final whistle, in the 108th minute, Villanova's Kelly Eagan scored her first goal of the season after the Wildcats scrambled to score off a corner kick. Rachel Schuyler and Ryan, who both finished the game with four shots, each had their shots blocked before Eagan could find the back of the net.

Blue Devils Fall, 1-0, to UNC Greensboro

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The UNC Greensboro women's soccer team registered a first half goal, then packed the defense in for the rest of the game and came away with a 1-0 victory over No. 11 Duke on Friday evening in the Nike Carolina Classic at Fetzer Field in Chapel Hill, N.C.

The Blue Devils fell to 1-1 on the year, while UNC Greensboro improves to 1-1. Duke will next take on Central Florida on Sunday during the final day of the Nike Carolina Classic at 1:00 p.m.

Making her first career start, Nahas played the entire 90 minutes and finished with one save in goal for the Blue Devils. Kearney had nine saves in 90 minutes for UNC Greensboro. Duke outshot UNC Greensboro, 22-5, for the game and 13-1 in the second half but couldn't register a goal.

Friday's Clemson Women's Soccer Game at UNC-Asheville Cancelled

CLEMSON, SC - The Clemson women's soccer game at UNC-Asheville scheduled for this afternoon, Friday, August 28, has been cancelled due to inclement weather and unplayable field conditions at Asheville's Greenwood Field. The game between the Tigers and Bulldogs will not be rescheduled.