Wildcats Tie Team Mark with Sixth Straight Shutout, Defeat Colgate 3-0
9/19/06
VILLANOVA, Pa. - A goal with just 24 seconds remaining in the first half got Villanova (9-0) going offensively and the Wildcats tied a program record with their sixth straight shutout in a 3-0 victory over Colgate (6-2) on Tuesday afternoon at the West Campus Soccer Complex. Villanova extended the best start in program history with the victory and remained one of just seven Division I teams in the nation that are unbeaten and untied this season.
Facing a stern test in their final non-conference game of the season, the Wildcats got on the board in the closing seconds of the first half. Junior Kayce Blandford (Columbia, Md.) sent a long ball over the center line and sophomore Nicole Coia (Simpsonville, S.C.) picked it up on the right side of the field. With momentum in the Wildcats favor, Coia one-timed a blast from 20 yards to the left corner of the net.
Villanova appeared to pick up energy from a younger lineup that was on the field to start the second half and added a goal in the 59th minute to go ahead by two goals. Coia was involved in the play once again, as she beat a defender to a ball along the back line and crossed it towards the goal. Freshman Erin Byrnes (Sayville, N.Y.) was there to head the ball into the net for her second goal of the season.
Junior Nikki Mabery (Phoenix, Ariz.) scored her 10th goal of the season in the 89th minute, taking a pass from senior Lindsey Finnegan (Blackwood, N.J.) on the right side and scoring on her second touch from in front of the net. The goal made Mabery the first Villanova player since 2001 to have at least 10 goals in a season.
Offensive chances were aplenty for both teams in the game and the Wildcats owned a slim 19-16 shot advantage over the Raiders. Colgate had a shot from point-blank range in the 70th minute bang off the left post and a direct kick from just outside the box in the 85th minute that went high of the net. The composure of Villanova's defensive line withstood the heavy pressure however, extending its shutout streak to nearly 600 minutes.
Junior goalkeeper Jillian Loyden (Vineland, N.J.) registered her fifth solo shutout of the season and 19th of her career, making five saves and extending her own shutout streak to 556:30. She now owns a miniscule 0.12 goals-against average for the season and a .971 save percentage through the first nine contests.
Raider forward Franny Iacuzzi led all players with five shots in the game and Colgate maintained pressure with five corner kicks for the game and 10 shots in the second half. Kelly Niland put the ball into the box that Iacuzzi hit off the post in the 70th minute.
Brittany Pearsall and Carly Sousa shared time in the net for the Raiders and combined to make seven saves.
Villanova has a pair of challenging BIG EAST games on the schedule for this weekend. First up is a home matchup against Seton Hall on Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. The Pirates are currently 4-4 and claim a victory over No. 21 Virginia at the Cavaliers home field. On Sunday the Wildcats will visit Rutgers for a 6 p.m. matchup against the Scarlet Knights, who were chosen to finish second in the BIG EAST National Division this season.