Sept. 27, 2009

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - Putting forth its best offensive effort of the season, the Saint Joseph's women's soccer team downed Xavier, 4-0, in the first home game of the Hawks' Atlantic 10 schedule. Saint Joseph's got a pair of goals from sophomore Jen Pfeiffer and a goal apiece from junior Lauren Sawyer and freshman Ali Yozwiak, as rookie keeper Christine Neal earned her fourth shutout of the year.

"Today was a good victory for us, especially with it being an Atlantic 10 contest," said Saint Joseph's head coach Jess Reynolds. "Our offense clicked and we were able to take advantage on offense and find the back of the net."

The Hawks got on the board in the 33rd minute as Sawyer tallied her second goal of the season. Off a kick from Neal, SJU sophomore Megan Crable played the ball up the middle to a streaking Sawyer. The quick-footed Sawyer tracked the ball down, and as Xavier's goalkeeper Kelly Farrell came out to play the ball, blooped a shot over her head and into the net to put SJU up 1-0 at 32:49.

With time running out in the first half, Yozwiak converted off a Xavier turnover at midfield. Yozwiak took a ball from a Musketeer defender and beat the Xavier defense down the field, depositing a shot into the right side of the goal from 20 yards out to give Saint Joseph's a 2-0 lead at the 44:37 mark.

Pfeiffer's two goals in the second half helped seal the Hawk victory. Her first goal came off precise passing, as junior Kaitlyn Grimes found senior Danielle Debernardo on the left side near midfield. DeBernardo gathered the pass and found Pfeiffer down the sideline. Catching the ball in stride, Pfeiffer hit a precise shot past a diving Farrell and off the inside right post to add to the Hawks' lead at 65:12.

Pfeiffer added her second goal of the half less than 10 minutes later. Off a pass from sophomore Sandra Mackey, Pfeiffer again found the right side of the netting, this time from the left side of the box at 74:36.

At the other end, Neal made three saves to post her fourth shutout of the year as the Hawks improved to 4-4-2 overall and 1-1-0 in the Atlantic 10.

Xavier, which registered just three shots to Saint Joseph's 18, fell to 1-8-1 overall an 0-1-1 in the A-10.

Saint Joseph's returns to action Friday at George Washington. Game time is set for 4 p.m.