University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
Temple
No. 16 Spiders Advance To A-10 Finals With Thrilling Overtime Win, 2-1
11/03/2006 | Field Hockey
Nov. 3, 2006
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - In the two teams' second overtime contest in as many meetings, Richmond junior Shannon Taylor's goal less than five minutes into the first overtime gave Richmond its 10th-straight win, 2-1, and a spot in the Atlantic 10 finals.
Temple freshman Kasey Ruth's tally at the 42:06 mark gave the Owls a one-goal advantage before Spider senior Heather Wrublesky forced the extra session with just 36 ticks remaining in regulation. The top-seeded and 16th-ranked Spiders improve to 15-4 overall following the win, while fourth-seeded Temple ends its season with a mark of 13-7.
Temple logged just one shot in the first half thanks to its only penalty corner opportunity. Richmond, however, garnered nine shots in the first 35 minutes, and posted four penalty corners.
Taylor, the Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Year, narrowly missed the game's first goal on two different occasions, including striking the left post at the 10:10 mark
On the Owls' second penalty corner of the contest, freshman Mandi Ruth's shot redirected off Richmond's sophomore goalkeeper Becca Weaver and found Kasey Ruth for the game's first goal. Despite five penalty corners from the Spiders in the second half and a 16-4 shot disadvantage, Temple retained the lead until a scramble in front resulted in Wrublesky's equalizing tally.
The first overtime period lasted just 4:44 before senior Jodi Murphy and freshman Jess Weidner set up Taylor for the game's winner on the Spiders' second penalty corner of the extra frame.
Defensively, Temple's keeper sophomore Erin Hanshue collected five saves while Weaver tallied two.
In the second semifinal contest, second-seeded Saint Joseph's was able to adjust its gameplan to score three second-half goals for a 3-0 win over third-seeded Rhode Island. The Hawks improved to 11-9 overall and advanced to the Championship final with the shutout, while Rhode Island's loss end its season with a mark of 8-10.
The Hawks controlled much of the offensive tempo over the first half, taking eight shots to just one for the Rams. Saint Joseph's was awarded four penalty corners in the first 35 minutes, while Rhode Island garnered one.
Just over two minutes into the second half, freshman Anne Schreuders took the penalty corner insertion and drove inside the circle to put it past Rhode Island's keeper junior M.J. Britt for the game's first goal. Senior Maureen Casserly was responsible for the stick stop off the corner and made the pass which allowed Schreuders to attack the circle.
Senior Nicole Antonini gave the Hawks a cushion in the 52nd minute of play when she took a pass from senior Lauren Luft off the right side for SJU's second goal of the game. Antonini added her second of the game in the 63rd minute thanks to a pass across the mouth of the cage from junior Brianne Miller. Miller's cross from the left made Britt cross the cage allowing Antonini to go to the lower right corner to put the game out of reach.
The Hawks limited Rhody to just three shots, as SJU keeper junior Rebecca Cunfer turned away one on goal for the shutout. Britt logged five saves for the Rams.
The 16th-ranked and top-seeded Spiders will now take on second-seeded Saint Joseph's in the Atlantic 10 Field Hockey Championship final, Saturday, at 2 p.m. at Crenshaw Field. Gametracker and free live video streaming for the 2006 Atlantic 10 Field Hockey Final in Richmond, Va., will be available on the Atlantic 10 website, www.Atlantic10.org. Be sure to visit the Championships site, located on the field hockey page, for a game recap, boxscores and live updates.
