Sunday's Women's College Roundup

BU Wins in Front of Record Crowd; Stonehill, SNHU Also Victorious

August 31, 2009

BOSTON, Mass. -- In front of a program-record crowd of 4,963 fans, the Boston University women’s soccer team delivered a 2-0 victory over Massachusetts (0-2) Sunday evening at Nickerson Field.

Senior Farrell McClernon and sophomore Jessica Luscinski (Bedford, N.H.) found the back of the net for the Terriers, while the squad’s strong defensive unit recorded its second shutout, holding UMass to one shot.

McClernon, the America East Player of the Game, netted the game-winning tally in the 30th minute of the match off a pass from freshman Megan McGoldrick (Reading, Mass.). She collected the ball and unleashed a rocket to the far right side that escaped UMass’ Lauren Luckey. Eight minutes later Luscinski provided the insurance tally off a long lob from senior Mara Osher. Luscinski one-timed the ball into middle of the net for her second goal in as many games.

BU outshot UMass, 30-1, and held the 6-0 advantage in corner kicks. BU forced 10 shots on goal, led by Luscinski’s three, while 12 different Terriers recorded at least one shot. Senior Meghan Gould (Danvers, Mass.) tallied the lone shot of the game for the Minutewomen.

BU dominated possession through the first half with Luscinski and McClernon recording early shots, but senior Taleen Dimirdjian had the best chance in the early going, when her shot went soaring toward the far corner. But an alert Luckey made an impressive stop that ricocheted off the near post and went back across the box and out of harm’s way.

The Terriers continued to pressure the Minutewomen and in the 25th minute Luscinski fired off a shot from the far left corner but Luckey came off her line to cut the angle and push the ball back out of the box.

In the second half, the Terriers continued to maintain possession and kept the game in UMass’ defensive end. Freshman Jessica Morrow (Andover, Mass.) made her collegiate debut at defense, entering the game midway through the second half, and classmate Brea Hewitt also made her debut.

BU’s defense, anchored by senior Casey Brown (Natick, Mass.), was also rock solid throughout the game, holding the Minutewomen to one shot and keeping the run of play in the offensive third.

Stonehill 3, Georgian Court 2 (2 OT)

LAKEWOOD, N.J. -- Stonehill College junior Kirstie St. Martin’s (Providence, R.I.) fifth goal in two days lifted the Skyhawks to a 3-2 double-overtime victory over Georgian Court University, an NCAA tournament participant last season, at Investors Savings Bank Field.

St. Martin, who netted a hat trick in Saturday’s win over Holy Family University, added two more, including the deciding goal in double-overtime. The Skyhawks also got an own goal from Georgian Court, while junior Julia Swierzoski and sophomore Kelsey Mahoney (Rehoboth, Mass.) collected assists for the second straight day.

Stonehill sophomore Sarah Hickey (Lee, Mass.) made three saves in goal to preserve the win, while Georgian Court senior goalkeeper Lindsay Hammond (Brunswick, Maine) finished with ten stops as the Skyhawks finished with a 21-8 advantage in shots for the match – 3-0 over the two overtime periods.

Sophomores Alana Carr and Kelly Lyons netted goals for Georgian Court, who captured the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference championship last fall.

Carr opened the scoring in the 21st minute when she pounced on a rebound off a shot by sophomore Candace Seaton and knocked it into the net. Stonehill equalized in the 54th minute with St. Martin’s first goal, assisted by Mahoney.

The Lions quickly regained the lead, however, when Seaton was hauled down inside the 18 by a Skyhawks defender less than two minutes later and Lyons slotted in the penalty kick.

Stonehill got some luck in the 71st minute when a sharp cross by Mahoney was directed into the Lions net by a Georgian Court defender. The next 30-plus minutes went scoreless before St. Martin netted her fifth goal of the weekend, assisted by Swierzoski, in the second overtime period.

SNHU 3, Dowling 2

MANCHESTER, N.H. -- A goal by Alyssa Integlia (Johnston, R.I.) with 7:34 remaining broke a 2-2 tie and lifted the Southern New Hampshire University women’s soccer team to a 3-2 win over Dowling College at Larkin Field Sunday afternoon. Both teams saw their record go to 1-1 on the season.

On the game-winner, Integlia played a long pass from Kristina Cardoso (Stoughton, Mass.) after Cardoso created a turnover in the midfield. Integlia’s second touch got away from her as she raced toward the goal, but a Dowling defender misplayed the ball, sending the ball towards an open goal. Integlia was able to knock the ball in just before it crossed the goal line for her second goal of the season.

SNHU would twice tie the game in the second half after trailing 1-0 at halftime. At the 56:35 mark, Ariel Teixeira (Warren, R.I.) collected a ball after Integlia and a Dowling defender were racing for it. She delivered a 15-yarder that found the upper left corner of the goal. The Golden Lions would reclaim the lead at the 61:40 mark when Vanessa Moreira converted a free kick at the top of the box.

SNHU tied the game once again 48 seconds later when Teixeira was brought down in the box and awarded a penalty kick. She would convert the kick for her second goal of the game.

Kate Collins scored the only goal of the first half for Dowling off a free kick. Moreira delivered a free kick from the right flank into the box that Collins knocked home after it took a bounce.

Southern New Hampshire used a trio of goalkeepers in the win. Stef Young (Natick, Mass.) worked the final 26:35 and made three saves without allowing a goal to pick up the win. Casey Les (Palmer, Mass.) made her first collegiate start and turned aside three shots in the first half. Maggie Weldon (Manchester, N.H.) played the first 18:25 of the second half and did not make a save while allowing one goal. Sara Sullivan turned aside three shots for the Golden Lions. Both teams attempted 13 shots on the afternoon.