Sep 23, 2008
AU Women's Soccer Falls Late to George Washington, 1-0
Sept. 23, 2008
WASHINGTON - The American University women's soccer team lost a hard fought match on Tuesday to George Washington, 1-0. The Eagles controlled play for much of the match but a Colonial header in the 87th minute proved to be the game winner.
AU (3-6-1) opened the match quickly and found its first scoring opportunity just 2:25 in as Friederike Engel played a header in the box. Engel's attempt was blocked and the rebound was picked up by Mikaila Weaver who found a seam but her shot was saved by the GW (4-4) goalkeep, Lindsey Rowe.
The Eagles continued to push the pace as the period wore on and found their second scoring opportunity at the 18-minute mark. Engel was once again at the center of the action as she took a shot from inside the box which was blocked. This time it was Kelsey Brasher who corralled the rebound and put a shot on goal which beat the keeper but went off the right post and out of bounds. AU won possession off the ball off the ensuing goalkick and marched right back down the field but with similar results as Krystn Hodge's shot on goal was stopped by Rowe.
American was able to put together four more solid runs on the net before the end of the period, including two shots on goal, but could not put the ball away. At the other end of the field AU's offense was picked up by the strong play of goalkeeper Kelsey Wiggins. The Colonials managed to get off just four shots in the frame but three of those shots were put on net. Wiggins made back-to-back saves on consecutive possessions midway through the period and her third at 44:07 to hold the game in a 0-0 tie heading into the half.
AU continued to dictate the pace of play early in the second period. Twice in the first five minutes the Eagles had a look at the goal but came up empty as Erin Stebbins sent a shot wide at 47:32 and Erin Koch's attempt at 49:37 was saved by Rowe. American put together another solid stretch of play beginning at the 54-minute mark as Mikaila Weaver took a shot from inside the box that was blocked. On the Eagles' next possesion it was Weaver again with a look at the goal but her shot this time went wide. As play continued American kept the pressure on GW, totaling 13 shots in the period including five on goal.
In the end it was the Colonials however who found the back of the net first. At 85:40 GW's Keara Mehlert took a shot from inside the box which was blocked by an AU defender and sent out the endline. On the ensuing corner kick Lauren Kelly sent the ball into the middle of the box where she found Kerry Philbin who played the ball off her head and through the AU defense for the game's first goal at 86:26.
American took the ball deep into the GW zone after the restart and put one final shot on goal by Stebbins but Rowe was in position to make the save and preserve the 1-0 win.
"We did a lot of positive things today," Head Coach David Bucciero said. "We moved the ball well and did enough offensively to win. However, we still need to do better with our marking on set pieces and in the final third of the field to improve as a team."
AU totaled 24 shots in the match, including nine shots on goal, led by six shots taken by Brasher and three taken apiece by Engel and Hodge. Wiggins made five saves in goal for the Eagles as the AU defense limited the Colonials to just 10 total shots with six on goal.
The Eagles will return to the field on Sunday, Sept. 28, as they travel to Loyola for a 1 p.m. start. Live stats from the match will be available by clicking here.
