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Nov. 3, 2007

Box Score

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Senior Brigitte Fox (La Mesa, Calif.) scored a goal in each half to lead the Navy women's soccer team (11-4-4, 3-1-2 PL) to a 2-1 victory over Colgate (10-8-1, 3-4-0 PL) on a windy Saturday afternoon at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility. Navy has now clinched one of the four playoff bids in next weekend's Patriot League Tournament to be played in Lewisburg, Pa.

"This was probably our best 90-minute game of the year," said Navy head coach Carin Gabarra, who will lead the Mids to their 11th Patriot League Tournament appearance. "We attacked very well today and were able to hold our shape against two very good Colgate forwards. Our defensive effort was also phenomenal. We talked before the game about Colgate's strengths and about the weather, and I think we adapted very well to both."

Navy and Colgate entered Saturday's contest knowing the winner would receive a postseason bid, while the loser would be out. The Midshipmen played a strong opening half as it was relentless in their attack. Navy had its first opportunity to score erased by scrappy defensive play by the Raiders. Junior defender Carey Young (Virginia Beach, Va.) sent a corner kick skying to the far post where sophomore Shelly Moeller (Milford, Ohio) was waiting. Moeller fired off a shot that was deflected by Colgate keeper Carly Sousa and Moeller's second try was cleared by a Raider defender.

Minutes later, Fox drew the keeper out of the box, but her touch was just a little too hard, sending the ball wide and forcing a shot that went wide of an open goal.

Fox, though, would be rewarded in the 21st minute when teammates Brittany White (Carmel, Ind.) and Kari Weniger (St. Petersburg, Fla.) worked the sideline and found Fox who buried a 10-yard shot in the lower right corner to give the Mids an early 1-0 edge.

Colgate was able to gain control of the ball and possess for a near five-minute stretch at the 20-minute mark. Its best scoring opportunity came when all-time leading goal scorer Franny Iacuzzi threaded a ball past two Navy defenders from six yards out that sailed just wide of the far right post with 26 minutes left in the opening half.

Navy came out of the locker room with the same intensity it fielded in the opening half. In fact, it took just over a minute for the Midshipmen to push their lead to two when White and Weniger once again fed Fox, this time up the middle. Fox ran with the ball to the left side of the box, taking with her a pair of defenders as well as the keeper. Amazingly she was able to get her body square to the goal and send a shot to the right post. The goal was the second of the day for Fox and her sixth in the last two games.

In the 54th minute, Navy midfielder Julie Reynolds (Sherman, Conn.) was called for a handball, giving Iacuzzi a direct kick from just outside the top of the box. Her shot, however, was snatched out of the air by Navy keeper Lizzie Barnes (New Orleans, La.).

Less than 10 minutes after checking into the game, rookie forward Anna Baldwin helped narrow the gap for the Raiders as she lured Barnes out of the goal, beating her to the ball and sending the shot into an open net at 66:29.

The goal gave life to the Raiders as they pressured Navy over the final 23-plus minutes. Colgate put together three strong runs in the final 21 minutes. With 20:20 remaining, Josie Johnson fed Jessica Bitsack who sent a cross to the middle of the box, but Barnes was able to intercept the pass. Seconds later, Baldwin narrowly missed knotting the score when she once again pulled Barnes out of the box, but this time her shot just missed the right corner. At the 16:58 mark, Liz Polido sent a hard-driven shot from 20 yards out that clipped the cross bar and sailed out of the box.

Navy, meanwhile, saw its chance for an insurance goal squelched when Kristen Laraway's (Long Valley, N.J.) header was stopped by backup keeper Brittany Pearsall.

Navy ended the game with a slight 15-12 edge in shots, while turning in an 8-0 advantage in corner kicks.

Three of the four spots have now been determined for next weekend's Patriot League Tournament. Bucknell will play host to the tournament after a 1-1 double-overtime tie against American this afternoon gave the Bison the one-point advantage with a 5-1-1 record. American, who owns a 4-0-3 record, will be the second seed with 15 points.

Navy is in the tournament with 11 points, but at this point does not know if it will be the third or fourth seed. Army plays at Lehigh tonight, while Army and Navy face one another in Annapolis on Monday at 4:00 pm. If Army wins tonight and beats or ties Navy, it will be the third seed. If Army wins tonight and loses to Navy, Navy will be the third seed. If Army loses tonight and loses against Navy, Lehigh is the fourth seed and Navy the third. If Army loses tonight and beats Navy, Army will be the third seed and Navy the fourth. If Army ties Lehigh tonight, both Army and Navy will have 11 points and it will come down to a shootout at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility on Monday.

Game time for Monday's Army-Navy Star Game is slated for 4:00 pm at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility. The first 150 fans will receive a free Navy soccer t-shirt.

### Go Navy ###