University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
Charlotte
Women's Soccer Falls To Charlotte 2-1 In Double Overtime
10/22/2005 | Women's Soccer
Oct. 22, 2005
Charlotte, N.C. - The University of Richmond women's soccer team concluded its final road trip of the season after losing its first-ever contest with the Charlotte 49ers. The Spiders and 49ers' battle for an Atlantic 10 victory extended to overtime this Saturday at Transamerica Field, ending in a 2-1 victory for Charlotte after freshman Niki Dumencich scored the gamewinning goal for the 49ers with only 1:35 left in the match.
The 49ers put an early goal on the scoreboard when sophomore Nicole Labuda converted the first shot of the match into her eighth goal of the season just over seven minutes into the game after she headed the ball off a cross from sophomore Lindsey Beam, marking Beam's seventeenth assist of the season.
At the 26:16 mark, Richmond sophomore Ali LeVIne (Avon, N.J.) blasted a shot that deflected off the post and was followed in the goal by freshman Sarah Hilt (Richmond, Va.) bringing the match to a 1-1 tie. Although both teams had several chances throughout the remainder of the match, neither team could convert its scoring opportunities into goals in regulation time.
Following a scoreless second half and first overtime period, the 49ers and the Spiders headed into double overtime and, with just a minute and a half left of play, Charlotte's Dumencich beat several Richmond defenders in one-on-one battles and then sent a low hard shot that flew past Richmond keeper Kelly Kolker's outstretched hands to score the game-winning goal and her eighth goal of the season.
Kolker recorded 4 saves while Charlotte keeper Juli Black tallied 2 saves during the match and Charlotte's offense outshot Richmond's 12-9. Freshman Jamie Zimmerman (White Hall, Md.) led the Spiders with three shots, while Hilt tallied 2 and sophomores Carrie Holland (Pittsfield, Mass.) and Christine Wrublesky, freshman Jessie Wolfe (Germantown, Md.), and senior Susan Darrah (Morrison, Colo.) each took one shot. Beam and Dumencich lead the 49ers with 3 shots each, while Kelsi Opmsby and Labuda followed with 2 shots a piece, and Jenna Brenes and Rachel Mees tallied one shot each.
Saturday's loss dropped the Spiders to 4-9-3 overall and 2-4-1 in the Atlantic 10. With only two more regular season matches to go, Richmond is rounding out one of its most challenging seasons thus far. The Spiders entered Saturday's match after an Ohio road trip featuring a 0-0 tie with Dayton and a 2-1 loss to the Xavier Musketeers in overtime, which ended their three-game unbeaten streak.
New Atlantic 10 contenders, the 49ers are now 9-7-0 overall and 5-2-0 in the Atlantic 10 and improved to a five-game unbeaten streak. Freshman Nikki Dumencich and sophomore Nicole Labuda currently lead the 49ers after each scoring their eighth goal of the season in Saturday night's match, while sophomore midfielder Rachel Mees was just named to Soccer Buzz Magazine's Elite Team of the Week after scoring a pair of game-winning goals in Charlotte's victories at Xavier and Dayton.
The 49ers will conclude their regular season with two home Atlantic 10 Conference contests next weekend, October 28-30. The 49ers host Massachusetts, Friday, October 28 at 7 pm and then battle Rhode Island in the regular season finale, Sunday October 30 at 2 pm.
The Spiders have defeated East Carolina, Old Dominion and Atlantic 10 opponents Fordham and St. Bonaventure, in addition to tying UNLV, West Virginia and Dayton, and falling to James Madison, Oregon State, Florida Atlantic, Virginia, VCU, Duquesne, Saint Louis, Xavier and, most recently, Charlotte.
Wolfe currently leads the Spiders' offense in both points and goals, with four goals and ten points to her name. Trailing Wolfe are Holland with three goals and sophomore Ali LeVIne and senior Sarah Hilt and Susan Boyer (Paoli, Pa.) follow with one goal each.
Following Saturday's match, the Spiders will host their final games of the regular season with Rhode Island on Oct. 28 at 7:00 p.m. and Massachusetts on Oct. 30 at 1:00 p.m. at First Market Stadium. The Spiders will celebrate and recognize the accomplishments of their five seniors, Kelly Kolker's, Susan Darrah, Hillary Prince, with a brief ceremony just prior to kick off at the Rhode Island contest.
