Women's Soccer: Szwed Nets Game-Winner
September 24, 2009 09:49 PM | General
By Tim Goodenow for MSNsportsNET.com
September 24, 2009
BOX SCORE
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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Freshman midfielder Caroline Szwed netted the lone goal of the match with under three minutes remaining in regulation to give the West Virginia women’s soccer team a 1-0 win over visiting Marquette Thursday evening at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
“It’s great that we have some balance in scoring,” said WVU coach Nikki Izzo-Brown. “Our forwards do so much and we need other positions to score. We have players stepping up and getting the job done. Tonight it was Caroline who wanted to score.”
Freshman forward Bry McCarthy started the play by working the ball up the left flank before crossing the ball deep inside the box. Szwed out-jumped a pair of Marquette defenders and headed the ball inside the near post for her first collegiate goal.
“It feels great,” said Szwed, an Oakville, Ontario, native. “I had some chances coming in but didn’t finish. I saw an opening on the back post and Bry served a perfect ball with her right foot.”
Szwed’s goal came against Golden Eagles’ goalkeeper Natalie Kulla, who had surrendered only four goals in the MU’s first nine games.
The Golden Eagles held a 13-7 shot advantage but rarely threatened with solid scoring chances.
Marquette’s best chance came in the 54th minute on a header from forward Rachel Sloan. Sloan took a pass from midfielder Michelle Compty and headed the ball wide of the right post.
McCarthy and All-American midfielder Carolyn Blank paced the Mountaineers with two shots each.
“We were able to find a way to win tonight against an aggressive and talented team like Marquette,” said Izzo-Brown. “That’s very encouraging for how young our squad is.”
WVU goalkeeper Kerri Butler picked up her fourth shutout of the season, the fifth for the Mountaineers.
West Virginia snapped MU’s four-game win streak and extends its all-time series lead to 5-0, including a 3-0 edge in contests in Morgantown. WVU improves to 4-2-4 (1-0-1 BIG EAST) while Marquette dips to 7-3-0 (1-1-0 BIG EAST).
The Mountaineers continue BIG EAST action with a trip to Tampa, Fla., to battle the USF Bulls on Sunday, Sept. 27. Kickoff at USF Soccer Stadium is slated for 1 p.m.
