Oct. 26, 2008
Box Score
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Villanova (11-7-1, 4-6-1 Big East) closed the 2008 season with a 2-0 loss on Sunday afternoon to Louisville (8-6-3, 6-3-2 Big East) at Cardinal Park. The Wildcats finish the season in sixth place in the BIG EAST National Division and did not qualify for the 10-team BIG EAST Championship which begins next week.
The five-member Villanova senior class that includes forward Nicole Coia (Simpsonville, S.C.), midfielders Erin Hardiman (Galloway, N.J.) and Kristen Verbit (Newtown, Pa.), defender Laura Sylvester (Broomall, Pa.) and goalkeeper Leann Kania (Pittsburgh, Pa.) closed out their four-year careers with the game.
The senior class produced a record of 48-20-13 in their careers and a winning percentage of .673. As sophomores in 2006, this class helped the Wildcats win a school-record 16 games and reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament. That season, and again as juniors in 2007, this group led Villanova to a school record by allowing just 11 goals the entire season. Over the last four seasons the Wildcats have continued their tradition of excellence and have now won at least 10 games and posted a winning record for 10 straight seasons.
Villanova looked strong coming out of the gates and had a number of attacking chances in the opening half. Sophomore Justine Wollner (Downingtown, Pa.) placed a pair of shots on goal and freshman Kaitlin Ryan (Wayne, N.J.) also created two chances from inside the 18-yard box.
The Cardinals opened the scoring in the 30th minute when Shannon Smyth headed in a cross from Jessica Mello at 29:55. The goal created some offensive momentum for Louisville, which controlled the ball for much of the final 15 minutes of the opening half. The Cardinals were credited with 10 shots in the stats for the first period compared with five for the Wildcats.
Junior Molly Williams (Hinsdale, Ill.) made one save in the half and Villanova was credited with a team save when sophomore Amy Greco (Media, Pa.) stopped a ball in front of the net that had gotten past Williams.
In the second half, Caitlin Rehder notched the second Cardinal goal at 54:06 on a shot from just outside the top of the box that curled under the crossbar and into the goal. Kania replaced Williams in goal to begin the second half and made a career-high eight saves in the period.
The best Villanova chance of the half came in the 86th minute when junior Jessica Carnevale (Princeton, N.J.) had a shot carom off the right goalpost and into the goalkeeper's hands. The Wildcats were outshot 23-8 for the contest.
The 2008 season was Villanova's 12th straight with a non-losing record. The Wildcats started the year with a seven consecutive wins to tie the second-longest win streak to start a season in program history. Villanova also scored multiple goals in a game 11 times for the first time since 2002 and netted 39 goals for the year while allowing 28 to the opposition. Head coach John Byford led the Wildcats to an 11-7-1 record in his first season with the program, marking the second best season debut among the five Villanova head coaches. Only Lee Stevens, who guided the inaugural varsity squad in 1983 to a 12-6 record, had a better first season.
NOTES: After missing most of this season due to an injury, Verbit made her first appearance of the season when she entered the game in the 77th minute ... All five of the team's seniors were in the game for the final 13:05 ... The Wildcats lost to Louisville for the first time in four meetings between the teams ... Villanova had won the first three games played between the two since the Cardinals joined the BIG EAST Conference in 2005 ... Today's game was also the first out of eight meetings against former Conference USA squads Louisville and Cincinnati that was not decided by one goal.
