Women's Soccer: WVU Battles to Third Straight Tie
September 23, 2005 10:38 PM | General
September 23, 2005
Syracuse, N.Y. - The 23rd-ranked West Virginia University women’s soccer team played to its third-straight double-overtime tie at Syracuse Soccer Stadium on Friday night, tying Syracuse 1-1 in its second BIG EAST match of the year.
With the tie, the Mountaineers move to 3-3-3 overall, 0-1-1 in the conference. The tie also sets the women’s soccer record for ties in a season, previously set at two in four different seasons. Syracuse moves to 2-5-1 on the year and 1-0-1 in the BIG EAST.
Senior forward Rachael Minnich got the Mountaineers on the board late in the first half when she headed in her second score of the season off a corner kick from freshman Kelsey Fowler. The assist was the first point of the Wheeling, W.Va., native’s career.
WVU owned an 11-1 shot advantage at the half and also earned all four of the half’s corner kicks.
Syracuse evened the score at the 72:59 mark when Sarah Van Sickle scored off a set play ball from Lauren Capelli.
With three minutes remaining in regulation, West Virginia’s Ashley Banks was denied a chance at the game-winning goal when Syracuse goalkeeper Emily Kowalczyk came off her line to take away Banks’ angle and scoop up the ball.
At the end of regulation, the Mountaineers possessed a 15-2 shot advantage and a 8-0 advantage on corner kicks.
The match ended with WVU having clearly dominated, everywhere but in the goal column. West Virginia outshot the Orange 21-2 and completely shut out their corner kick chances while earning nine of their own.
"We created a lot of opportunities today,” said head coach Nikki Izzo-Brown. “Now we just have to start finishing them. We have to keep moving forward and working hard to get that final goal.”
Today’s overtime match marks the first time in West Virginia women’s soccer history that the Mountaineers played three consecutive overtime matches.
The Mountaineers return to action on Sunday, Sept. 25, when they play host to St. John’s at 1 p.m. The match is the first part of the doubleheader with the WVU men’s team as part of the 10th annual Super Soccer Sunday presented by Chick-fil-A.
West Virginia 1, Syracuse 1
Scoring: WVU - Minnich (Fowler) 42:04; SU - VanSickle (Capelli) 72:59
Shots: WVU - 21; SU - 2
Corner Kicks: WVU - 9; SU - 0
Goalkeeping: WVU - Lana Bannerman, 110 minutes, zero saves; one GA; SU - Emily Kowalczyk, 110 minutes, six gaves, one GA
