AU Women's Soccer Remains Unbeaten in the PL with 2-2 Tie Against Navy

Oct. 21, 2007

Box Score

WASHINGTON - The American University women's soccer team remained unbeaten in Patriot League play Sunday, earning a 2-2 double-overtime tie with Navy. The draw moves AU to 9-5-1 on the year and 3-0-1 in conference, while the Midshipmen move 8-4-4 overall and 1-1-2 in the PL.

American out shot the Middies in the first half, 8-3, and owned a six shot (19-13) advantage for the game. Of AU's 19 shots, nine found their way on net as opposed to Navy's five shots on target. The Eagles also held the advantage on corner kicks, 6-2, two of which came in the second-overtime period.

Kelsey Brasher scored both Eagle goals Sunday giving her 11 for the year. Senior Irene Karistinos tallied her third assist of the season on Brasher's first goal and Margeau Faticone notched her second assist on AU's final marker. Junior Kelsey Wiggins was in goal for the Eagles and stopped three of five shots on goal in the 110 minute match.

Play in the first half was comfortably controlled by the Eagles who kept the ball in their own offensive zone for a majority of the time. AU posted four shot attempts in the game's first 20 minutes, including an Erin Koch shot off a Karistinos corner that nearly put the Eagles on top.

American finally got on the board in the 33rd minute when Karistinos and Brasher hooked up for the game's first score. Karistinos controlled the ball near midfield and played a long pass to the top left of the box where Brasher was crashing the net. Navy's goalkeeper, Lizzie Barnes, rushed out of her goal trying to beat Brasher to the position but AU's leading scorer controlled the ball and played a shot over Barnes and into the net.

American was only able to produce one more shot in the period and took a 1-0 lead into half.

The visiting Midshipmen returned from the timeout at full speed and put two markers on the board in the half's first 16 minutes. Their first goal came off a fast break in the 53rd minute that was started on a throw-in from just outside midfield. Brigitte Fox took a pass from Kari Weniger up the right side of the field and put her shot into the back of the net, tying the game at 1. Less than two minutes later, Navy was back on the board taking a 2-1 lead when Lauren Bresnahan took a shot from the top of the box which went off the middle of the crossbar and straight up into the air. After coming back to earth the ball bounced once just feet in front of the net and was then taped in by Shelly Moeller.

Finding themselves behind for the first time in the game, the Eagles responded quickly and knotted things up just five minutes later in the 60th minute. Hodge held the ball for AU along the right sideline and played a centering pass to the top of the box for a waiting Brasher. The sophomore lined the pass up for a one-timer, beating Navy's keep, and tying the score 2-2

The Eagles attempted four more shots in the half and had two corners but were unable to connect on any of their opportunities, sending the game into overtime.

In the first period of free soccer American earned a corner kick with just over five minutes remaining. Tatiana Bertolo inserted the ball to the far side of the box where Erin Koch had an opportunity to end the game but her kick was blocked and played back out of the zone by Navy. Two minutes later Navy had a similar scoring opportunity when it earned a corner kick that was taken by Carey Young. Young's pass was on target in front of the net but AU's Annette Scott was the first to get a head on it and preserved the tie, playing the ball safely away from AU's goal. Navy nearly scored the game-winner just minutes later when Fox streaked down the right side of the field on a 1-on-1 fast break. Gaining a slight advantage on her defender, Fox took a shot from about 15 yards in front of the net. AU's goaltender Wiggins had cutoff Fox's only angle at the net though and made the stop to send the game into a second overtime.

American had two corner kicks in the final frame but neither resulted in a goal. Its best scoring opportunity came off a Scott free kick just inside midfield. The senior played the ball up and into the left side of the box where two Eagle attackers and two Midshipmen awaited the pass. None of the four players managed to get a head on it though and the scoring opportunity passed as the ball rolled harmlessly out the end line.

The Eagles will be in action again Friday, Oct. 26, when they welcome Holy Cross to Reeves Field for a 2 p.m. PL showdown. AU will be looking to continue its unbeaten streak in the PL while the Crusaders look to gain ground on the conference's top teams.