Sept. 14, 2008

Final Stats

New Haven, Conn. - Western Carolina women's soccer team scored two first half goals and held on to a 2-1 win against Sacred Heart Sunday afternoon in the finale of the Yale Soccer Classic.

Western Carolina improves to 2-4 after the win, while Sacred Heart drops to 0-6.

Juniors Nikki Collins and Jenny Matteson were named offensive/ defensive MVP's for Western Carolina in the Yale Soccer Classic. Collins (offensive MVP) finished the tournament with five shots three of which on goal and scored a goal in a 3-1 loss against Yale. Matteson (defensive MVP) anchored a solid defensive effort over the weekend.

The Catamounts got started early when three minutes into the contest freshmen Kayla Beauduy beat the pioneer's keeper Meghan Reichelt to give Western Carolina a 1-0 lead. Beauduy took a cross from teammate Kellie Oberholtzer when Beauduy settled the ball and fired a shot into the right corner, earning her first collegiate goal for the Catamounts.

Thirty minutes later Western Carolina was attacking again when junior Nikki Lombardo took a cross from teammate Bri Cunningham and Lombardo beat Sacred Heart goal keeper Reichelt pushing the lead to 2-0 early in the first half.

The Catamounts ended the first half with a 6-to-4 shot advantage, while the Sacred Heart Pioneers did have two opportunities in the first half but sophomore goal keeper Caitlin Williams came up with the two saves.

The Pioneers did get on the board 10 minutes into the second half after a goal from Britney Dupee. Dupee beat the Catamounts goal keeper Williams after a blast from 25 yards out went into the right corner of the net to cut the lead to 2-1.

The Catamounts defensive would not let Sacred Heart get any closer, holding the pioneers to just three second half shots. Western Carolina finished the contest with an 11-to-7 advantage in shots.

Western Carolina will travel to Knoxville, Tennessee to take on the Tennessee Volunteers on Friday Sept. 19 starting at 7 p.m.