Feb. 23, 2009
PRINCETON, N.J. - Villanova (0-6) played in the Princeton Invitational this past weekend at DeNunzio Pool, playing a total of four matches over the two-day tournament. The Wildcats were defeated on Saturday in games against Harvard and Maryland, while the squad fell to No. 20 Brown and George Washington in competition on Sunday.
Villanova began the weekend on Saturday and was defeated by Harvard, 11-2. Sophomore drivers Kathleen Maloney (Chicago, Ill.) and Maria Apablasa (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) scored one goal apiece for the Wildcats and the team totaled eight shots on goal against the Crimson. Villanova tallied 10 goalie saves in the game but Harvard gained an advantage with its transition offense. The Crimson led 7-0 at halftime.
In the match against Maryland, the Wildcats were defeated 11-1 in a game where almost all of the scoring took place in the first half. The Terrapins led 5-0 at the end of the first quarter and 9-1 at halftime. The teams eventually played a scoreless fourth quarter and Villanova allowed just two goals in the second half. Offensively, the Wildcats tallied nine shots on goal and scored in the second quarter for their lone tally of the contest.
On Sunday morning, Villanova faced its first nationally-ranked opponent of the season in No. 20 Brown and was defeated 12-2. After trailing 8-0 at halftime, the Wildcats wound up with 11 shots on goal and scored one goal in both the third and fourth quarters.
The last match of the weekend came against George Washington and Villanova broke out offensively despite eventually falling 17-7. The Wildcats trailed just 4-2 at the end of the first quarter but the Colonials controlled the game in the middle period and led 14-3 entering the fourth period. Villanova notched four of its goals in the final quarter and the seven tallies were a season high. Freshman Jen Soares (Foster City, Calif.) paced the Wildcat offense with five goals and classmate Ellie McCutcheon (Boca Raton, Fla.) made seven saves in goal. Maloney and sophomore Nicole Lum (Roseville, Calif.) tallied one goal apiece for Villanova.
The Wildcats have played all six of their matches this season in a pair of tournaments hosted by Princeton, but will not return to DeNunzio Pool again this season. Villanova will next head to California for its Spring Break trip, where the team opens play against La Verne on March 5 at 11 a.m. Pacific time. The Wildcats also will compete in the Cal Lutheran Spring Tournament from March 6-8.
