Sept. 13, 2006

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - Saint Joseph's handed Drexel its first loss of the season Wednesday, beating the Dragons at Buckley Field, 2-0. Freshman Mary Beaman and Sophomore Marisa Pizzi netted the goals for SJU, bringing the Hawks' record to 4-2.

Beaman, earning her first goal wearing the Crimson and Gray, scored off a penalty stroke awarded with just nine seconds remaining in the first half. Beaman knocked the ball to the left, where it ricocheted of the post and into the back of the cage. Junior Brooke Henry's breakaway attack on goal was responsible for drawing the infraction call that awarded the Hawks with the penalty stroke.

The second half started out much like the first with both teams generating strong scoring opportunities. The Dragons maintained pressure on the Hawks' defense but Goalkeeper Rebecca Cunfer was up to the task. With less than 11 minutes left to play, the Hawks brought the ball back down the field. Senior Nicole Antonini pushed the ball towards the cage where fellow senior Lauren Luft was able to get a shot past Drexel's goalie Colleen McAndrew and Pizzi poked the ball in at the left corner. The goal was Pizzi's career first and Luft's third assist of the season.

Although Drexel out-shot the Hawks 14-12, Cunfer made eight saves for the day and earned her 11th career shutout (fourth of the season), making her tied for fourth in SJU's All-Time Career Leaders history.

Going into today's game, Drexel was second in the nation in penalty corners per game and had scored five of its last six goals on penalty corner situations. The Hawks' defense was able to overpower this trend and the Dragons were unable to capitalize on any of their 12 corner opportunities. The Hawks had 10 penalty corners, with three coming right in a row near the end of the second half.

Saint Joseph's faces Fairfield next in a non-conference game at home Saturday, September 16th at 1:00pm.