Women’s Soccer: No. 8 Irish Escape in OT
October 02, 2009 09:52 PM | General
By Ira Green for MSNsportsNET.com
October 2, 2009
BOX SCORE | PHOTO GALLERY
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| Mischler |
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University women’s soccer team fell to No. 8 Notre Dame, 3-2, in overtime on a cool Friday evening at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
Only 41 seconds into the first overtime period, Notre Dame’s pressure from the attack paid off when Melissa Henderson dribbled down the left side and laced a shot into the six-yard box. WVU goalkeeper Keri Butler was unable to get firm control of the shot, and in a scramble for the loose ball, Taylor Knaack flicked a shot just inside the right post for the golden goal. The score from Knaack extended Notre Dame’s unbeaten conference streak to 56 games (54-0-2), a new NCAA record.
“I think that, unfortunately, we battled hard tonight and I think collectively, we let some soft goals go in tonight,” coach Nikki Izzo-Brown says. “We scored two goals and we were up a goal, but we let them back in on a soft goal. We let them win on a softer goal. It was very disappointing that we let them come back on things we know we're better at.”
The Mountaineers (4-4-4, 1-2-1) nearly snapped Notre Dame’s lofty stretch after pulling ahead, 2-1, in the 49th minute.
Outside the 18-yard box on the right side, sophomore Blake Miller sent a shot from just inside the corner of the box toward the near post. The ball took a short hop in front of Kelsey Lysander and scooted into the net, giving the Mountaineers the 2-1 lead and received an ovation from more than 1,300 fans.
“She had a 104 temperature before she came out,” Izzo-Brown says of Miller. “She was able to get out there, battle and score a critical goal for us. You have to give Blake a lot of credit for her effort tonight.”
The momentum by the Mountaineers started at the 38:03 mark off the head of junior Megan Mischler.
Senior Carolyn Blank, who started her team-best 81st match and ties for ninth on the school’s career list, blasted a shot from approximately 25 yards out that dinged off the crossbar and jetted back into play. Sophomore Chelsey Corroto – who earned her first career start – was in the right place at the right time, as she gathered the ball and laid off a pass to Mischler. Notre Dame goalkeeper Lysander came off her line to grab the loose ball, but Mischler dove at the pass and was able to head it past Lysander for her team-leading third goal of the season.
“Chelsey was great tonight,” Izzo-Brown says. “She worked extremely hard. I was proud of Chelsey and how she battled.”
WVU held the lead for nearly 16 minutes before the Fighting Irish (8-3-0, 4-0-0) responded to tie the match at two apiece. On a ball that was served into the box, Butler came out of the net in an attempt to make the save until the ball was punched out and headed just inside the left post by Haley Ford to knot the match.
“We did everything, but stop the ball from going into the back of the net,” Izzo-Brown adds. “We did some good things, but we made some mistakes. All of the goals that Notre Dame scored could have been eliminated.”
In the 51st minute, freshman Bry McCarthy had possession near the penalty kick area. She laid off a pass to Mischler, who was just inside the half circle, and Mischler’s left-footed blast sailed just wide of the net.
Notre Dame opened the scoring at the 4:24 mark on a goal by Henderson from 12 yards out.
At the 28:46 mark, Butler responded after allowing the first goal of the contest. As Notre Dame’s Tereza Stastny dribbled into the box from the left side, Butler came off her line – without regard for her body – and slid on her side into the ball, forcing Stastny to lose control of the ball and nix Notre Dame’s scoring opportunity.
Butler came up with another big save at the 51:42 mark. On a ball misplayed by the defense, Notre Dame’s Amanda Clark sent a shot toward the right post that appeared to be heading toward the back of the net. However, Butler was able to poke the ball wide, as she fully extended to her left to make the save.
The Fighting Irish were pushed to its first overtime match of the season. It entered tonight’s contest averaging 16.5 shots per game, but was held to 13 shots by a Mountaineer defense that was quick and active.
“I think it's like baby steps with a young team. You do something really well, and then at a critical time, critical players maybe aren't stepping up to the challenge,” Izzo-Brown says of her squad. “We're banged up. We're sick. It wasn't even about that tonight. It was about critical times, critical points and not eliminating soft goals.”
Mischler led the Mountaineers with four shots, including two on-goal, while Miller added two shots, both on-goal. WVU became the first team to at least match the Fighting Irish in shots since Stanford edged the Irish, 2-0, on Sept. 13, a span of four games.
West Virginia returns to action with a home match against DePaul on Sunday, Oct. 4, at noon. Members of the Mountaineer Parents Club can redeem a coupon for discounted admission at the Dick Dlesk ticket window as part of the 2009 Fall Family Weekend.
