The AU women’s soccer team was eliminated from postseason play on Sunday after an exhausting 1-1 double overtime tie against the Lehigh University Mountain Hawks.
Senior Friederike Engel was ejected from the game early in the first half, forcing AU to play down a player the rest of the match.
Seniors Brooke Sheppard, Lindsey Farthing and Engel were recognized before the team’s final home game of the 2010 season. The three student athletes served as captains for the Eagles this season and Head Coach Dave Bucciero credits them with turning the team’s losing season around.
“We will benefit from their leadership in the future for the way they led as captains,” Bucciero said. “When we were losing earlier on … they were able to turn around the season because of their attitude and ability to continue to believe and not stop fighting.”
The Eagles controlled possession and had several looks on goal early on in the first half.
In the 20th minute, sophomore Kendra Jones capitalized on a long pass from sophomore Gabrielle Barbato, sliding the ball past the Lehigh goalie to put AU on the board. The forward’s goal was AU’s lone score of the game.
Ten minutes later. the Eagles’ fate changed when senior Engel was ejected from the game.
“[The referee] said that Engel retaliated against a Lehigh player,” Bucciero explained. “I think a yellow card would have been more appropriate if that happened. That changed the game unfortunately.”
As a result of the red card, Engel will sit out next Friday during her team’s final game of the season at Navy.
The Eagles responded to Engel’s ejection by increasing their defensive pressure, and finished out the half without allowing a Lehigh goal.
“They could have packed it in, they could have given up, the score could have ended up with us losing in regulation,” Bucciero said. “But they did not give up. They did not use it as an excuse and they kept playing hard, which was fantastic.”
After halftime, AU’s 10 players returned to the field with new aggression. However, Lehigh was able to capitalize on their one-man advantage.
Seventeen minutes into the half a yellow card against Lehigh gave sophomore Stephanie Glover a free kick that was eventually headed away from the goal by a Mountain Hawk defensemen.
With less than 20 minutes left in regulation play, Glover fouled Lehigh’s Lena Cannon in the AU box in an attempt to stop a potential goal. The resulting penalty shot, taken by Lehigh’s Liz Carlos, tied the game at 1-1.
Momentum continued to shift in Lehigh’s favor throughout the secondhalf. AU had two looks on goal in the last few minutes of regulation play but the team was unable to put away the game-winning goal, forcing the game into overtime.
The Eagles dominated play in the first overtime. The team took possession of the ball, with shots from sophomore Mikaila Weaver and Sheppard deflecting off Lehigh defense. Jones also generated a number of looks on goal.
With three minutes left in the first overtime, Jones missed a pass from Sheppard in front of the goal, and the ball skimmed wide of the Lehigh net.
AU had an opportunity to take the game with just under seven minutes left to play, however, Lehigh headed a corner by Sheppard away from the goal. Freshman Brenna Smith collected the rebound, but her shot was knocked down by the Mountain Hawks’ defense.
The opposition also had an opportunity off a break away, but a pass to an offsides teammate stopped the play short.
The clock ran out with the ball in Lehigh territory, after a last ditch attempt by freshman defender MacKenzie Kerrigan sailed wide of the goal.
Because of the tie, coupled with results from other games around the PL, the Eagles are eliminated from postseason competition. AU will conclude its 2010 season Friday at Navy.
kgreubel@theeagleonline.com
