Sept. 12, 2008

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - Behind a four-goal barrage in the second half, the Saint Joseph's women's soccer team evened its record on the season as the Hawks topped Lehigh, 4-0, Friday afternoon at Finnesey Field. Saint Joseph's, which improved to 2-2-0 on the season with the win, was led by freshman Kortney Rhoades' goal and two assists.

After a rain-filled first half - one that saw the Mountain Hawks (1-3-1) out shoot Saint Joseph's 9-6 - the game remained knotted at zero.

The stalemate didn't last long, into the second stanza as the Hawks got on the boards in the 53rd minute. Saint Joseph's junior co-captain Sarah O'Malley took a perfectly set corner kick from Rhoades and headed the ball into the back of the net to put SJU up 1-0 at 52:02

Both teams exchanged scoring opportunities over the next 30 minutes, but it was the Hawks again who capitalized. Off another corner kick, the ball was knocked back to Rhoades in the far corner of the field. The rookie replayed the ball into the box, with the Lehigh goalkeeper Lauren Mains coming out to play it. With the rain still lightly falling, the ball slipped out of the Mains' possession and Saint Joseph's junior Danielle Debernardo was there to capitalize with the Hawks' second goal of the game at 82:42.

Up 2-0, Saint Joseph's offense continued to click, with Rhoades finding freshman Jen Pfeiffer open in the middle of the box with 1:33 left in the game. Pfeiffer turned and beat Mains for SJU third goal.

Rhoades capped the scoring with her first collegiate goal, taking a long pass up the left side of the field from classmate Steph Lawall and beating the Lehigh goalkeeper from 22 yards out with 31 seconds to spare.

As a team, the Hawks out shot Lehigh 16-12 with SJU freshman goalkeeper Cara Critchlow making five saves for her second consecutive shutout.

Lehigh's Liz Carlos led all players with five shots, while Mains made nine saves between the pipes.

Saint Joseph's returns to action this Sunday at Marist. Game time is set for 1 p.m.