Fairfield, UConn women tie

Intrastate rivals play to 2-2 draw

September 22, 2008

The Fairfield University women’s soccer team scored two second-half goals to earn a 2-2 draw with visiting UConn on Lessing Field in Fairfield Sunday afternoon.

The Stags extend their unbeaten streak to eight games, moving to 7-1-1, while the Huskies are now 3-5-1 on the season.

Fairfield’s Ahna Johnson (Hamden, Conn.) had a goal and an assist to lead the Stags’ offense. Annie Yi (Indianapolis, Ind.) tallied both goals for the Huskies.

The Huskies controlled play in the first half, out-shooting the Stags 13-2 in the period. Yi struck for the first time at 15:24, chipping a shot off of the crossbar and into the net.

The score would remain that way until the 49th minute. UConn’s Becky Gundling (Farmington, Conn.) was sent off after pulling down a Stag offensive player just outside the box. Robyn Decker (Chester, Conn.) took the ensuing free kick and put it into the box, where it found the head of Johnson, who put it in the back of the net for a 1-1 tie.

Yi would respond just 1:24 later for the Huskies, collecting a ball at the top of the box and shooting it into the upper corner for a 2-1 advantage.

The Stags would answer again, however, as Nicole Cavallaro (New Hyde Park, N.Y.) scored her first goal of the year in the 66th minute. Adrienne Boyer (Somers, Conn.) played the ball into the box, where Johnson flicked it to the foot of Cavallaro, who tapped the ball across the line.

Kelly Boudreau (Farmington, Conn.) minded the net for the entire 110 minutes for the Stags, making a career-best nine saves in the effort. She made six first-half saves to keep the Stags in the game. Her UConn counterpart, Stephanie Labbe (Stony Plain, Alberta) also played the entire 110 minutes, making five saves. Both keepers made a save in the overtime periods.