Sept. 29, 2006

Box Score | Quotes | Notes

VILLANOVA, Pa. - The nation's leading goal scorer struck for her 11th tally of the season just over a minute into the game and Villanova (11-0-1, 3-0-1 BIG EAST) withstood a steep challenge from one of the premier names in all of women's soccer, defeating Connecticut (5-6-1, 2-2-0 BE) on Friday afternoon by a 1-0 score at the West Campus Soccer Complex.

The Wildcats earned a win over the Huskies for just the second time in a series that dates back 24 years to the very beginning of the Villanova program. In doing so, Villanova extended its unbeaten streak to 12 games, a stretch that is now the longest in school history.

"Clearly they are an outstanding team," Villanova head coach Ann Clifton said of Connecticut. "They are the best 5-6 team in the country and have been tested against the toughest of competition this season. They are well organized and well-coached. It is a huge win for us."

A big crowd at the game didn't have to wait long for the game's only score to materialize. Just over a minute into the game junior Stacia Hartung (Rochester, N.Y.) dribbled across the center line and passed to freshman Erin Byrnes (Sayville, N.Y.). Byrnes was going one-on-one against a defender towards the top of the box when the Huskies were called for a foul.

Junior Nikki Mabery (Phoenix, Ariz.) took a direct free kick from 22 yards out and directed a ball into the top left corner of the net for her nation-high 11th goal of the season. Mabery entered the game fourth in the country with 0.91 goals per game, while her 10 actual tallies were tied for the most among players from 301 Division I schools.

"We want Stacia to take touches on the ball," Clifton said. "She has a nice connection going now with Erin in the midfield and that led to the goal today. Stacia is a very special player. She is a perfectionist with the ball but when she gets a touch she is the leader of the offensive system we have in place."

Connecticut created several scoring chances of its own throughout the game but was held at bay by a stingy Wildcat defense which has surrendered just two goals all season long. The Huskies owned a 12-9 shot advantage for the game, with Villanova junior goalkeeper Jillian Loyden (Vineland, N.J.) making six saves to preserve the shutout.

The Huskies best scoring chance in the second half came in the 84th minute, when Niki Cross brought the ball down the left side into the attacking third. The Wildcats were unable to clear the ball as efficiently as they had all game, but sophomore defender Laura Sylvester (Broomall, Pa.) never let up in marking Cross all the way into the box. Sylvester deflected a hard shot by Cross from inches left of the net to allow Loyden to make the save.

Villanova has now posted 10 shutouts in its first 12 games of the season, with Loyden earning her seventh solo shutout of the season in the net. Stephanie Labbe had one save in goal for the Huskies.

"Going into the game we talked a lot about playing for long stretched with a narrow lead," Clifton said. "It was a great learning lesson for us last week when Rutgers tied the game against us in the second half. Our players have so much heart and I think they would have done anything today to prevent the ball from going in the net."

The Wildcats are back in action at home on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. against Providence.