Sept. 5, 2008

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - The Saint Joseph's women's soccer team played its first game on the brand new TigerTurf at Finnesey Field Friday night and came away with a decisive 3-0 victory over the Saint Peter's Peahens. Freshman goalkeeper Cara Critchlow made two saves to notch her first career win in shutout fashion in her first collegiate start.

The first half was relatively non-descript as the two teams played a physical 45 minutes. Neither team tickled the twine but both teams recorded eight fouls in the stanza.

The Hawks drew first blood in the 52nd minute when senior Amanda Morrell received a pass from classmate Ashley Bugnar and lifted a shot from 25 yards out over SPC goalkeeper Leigha Ashmen.

Seven minutes later SJU scored again, this time on a shot from distance into the top left corner from junior Danielle Debernardo. The Hawks sealed it with an insurance goal by senior Allie Dowling in the 62nd minute. Dowling beat a defender before launching a laser from just outside the box, placing the ball inside the far post for her first tally of the season.

Critchlow did not face much pressure, notching one save in each half, in earning the shutout.

The overall theme of the game was certainly physicality; the teams combined for 33 fouls over the 90 minutes. SJU outshot the Peahens by a 20-3 margin and took six corner kicks to SPC's zero.

The women's soccer team returns to action next Friday night with a home tilt against Lehigh. Kick-off is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. as the men's team will face Navy in the second half of a doubleheader.