Aug. 27, 2004

Box Score

Charleston, S.C. - The 22nd ranked Villanova women's soccer team kicked off the 2004 season on a high note on Friday, Aug. 27th at Patriot's Point in Charleston, S.C., defeating the College of Charleston by the score of 4-2. Senior forward Laura Johnson broke a 2-2 second half tie, scoring the game-winning goal at the 71:26 mark as the Wildcats went on for the two-goal win. The `Cats improved to 1-0-0 on the season with the win, while the Cougars fell to 0-1-0. It was a physical game from the opening kick, as both teams piled up the fouls early in the game. It was Villanova, however, that controlled possession in the opening stages of the match. The Wildcats' first good opportunity of the game came at the 15:08 mark. A shot by sophomore Jamie Weist off a feed from senior Regina Villari resulted in a tremendous leaping save by Charleston keeper Emily Brenner, keeping the game scoreless. At the 17:57 mark, Villanova finally broke the scoreless tie. Senior midfielder Erica Stewart gained control off a corner kick off the foot of freshman Kaley Guthrie and blasted a shot into the upper right corner of net giving the Wildcats a 1-0 lead. The Villanova defense held strong as the half wore on and got some help from sophomore goalkeeper Jillian Loyden as well. In her first collegiate start, Loyden made her first save a spectacular one. At the 21:15 mark, Loyden leaped in the air to knock a blast from Caroline Wertis over the net. The `Cats extended their lead just before the half. A shot blocked off an indirect kick was deflected back to top of box and found its way to the foot of freshman midfielder Stacia Hartung. Hartung reared back and fired a shot into the right of net from 20 yards out at the 43:59 mark to increase the Villanova advantage to 2-0. The Cougars staged a mad rally early in the second half, scoring two unanswered goals in a span of just under nine minutes to knot the game at 2-2. At the 46:52 mark, Carolyn Morris got the ball in a scramble in front of the Villanova net off a Charleston corner kick and scored the Cougars first goal of the season to trim the Wildcats lead to 2-1. At 55:46, Charleston forward Perri Brenner was taken down inside the box and awarded a penalty kick. Brenner snuck her PK attempt past Loyden to tie the contest up at 2-2. Villanova would regain momentum in the final 25 minutes of the game, as the Wildcat offense once again came alive. With 18:34 remaing in the game, junior defender Kristin Anderson lofted a shot towards the Charleston goal. Brenner got a hand on the ball and knocked it out in front of the net. Johnson got the rebound for the `Cats and knocked it past Brenner to give Villanova back the lead at 3-2. At the 80:06 mark, the Wildcats capped off their scoring and it was a left-footed blast from sophomore midfielder Valerie Grow from left side of net that got the job done. Brenner ranged to her right attempting to make the save off Grow's shot, but the ball was long past her sailing into the left side of the net to give Villanova a 4-2 lead. That was all the Wildcats would need as they cruised through the final minutes of the game to the two-goal victory. Loyden earned her first career win in goal, saving four shots on the night. Villanova will get back into action on Sunday, Aug. 29th, as the Wildcats take on Georgia Southern at 1:00 p.m. at Patriot's Point in Charleston, S.C.