Lafayette Battles UMBC to Scoreless Draw

by Mark Mohrman
August 20, 2012
<p><strong>BALTIMORE, Md.</strong><span>&nbsp;- The Lafayette women's soccer team opened its 2012 season with a scoreless draw against UMBC on Friday evening at Retriever Soccer Park.&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.goleopards.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/smedley_lauren00.html">Lauren Smedley</a><span>&nbsp;made seven saves in goal for the Leopards, including two in overtime, for her 21</span><sup>st</sup><span>&nbsp;career shutout.</span><br /><br /><span>"I thought we gave a great effort tonight, head coach&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.goleopards.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/statham_mick00.html">Mick Statham</a>&nbsp;<span>said. "Our commitment and desire were excellent and we stayed composed throughout the game in both attack and defense. I thought everyone gave a magnificent effort, but special praise has to go to the freshmen, who all applied themselves extremely well in their first college game."</span><br /><br /><span>Lafayette held possession for a good portion of the first half, which resulted in two excellent scoring opportunities inside the Retrievers' penalty area. In the 17</span><sup>th</sup><span>&nbsp;minute&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.goleopards.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/dozier_jill00.html">Jill Dozier</a><span>&nbsp;found herself alone 12 yards away from goal where she fired a shot that was turned away by Lauren Kadet with a diving left-handed stop to her left. A little less than 10 minutes later,&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.goleopards.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/stone_allison00.html">Allison Stone</a><span>&nbsp;flicked a header into a group of players where&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.goleopards.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/zito_laura00.html">Laura Zito</a><span>&nbsp;brought the ball to her feet and poked a shot off the crossbar.&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><span>UMBC's best opportunity of the opening half came in the 32</span><sup>nd</sup><span>&nbsp;minute and failed to make it on goal as Bria Blass made her way inside the Leopards' 18-yard box and ripped a right-footed shot that was blocked aside by&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.goleopards.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/brownell_nicole00.html">Nicole Brownell</a><span>.&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><span>Just prior to halftime,&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.goleopards.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/lee_nicole00.html">Nicole Lee</a><span>&nbsp;put a bouncing ball on goal from 20 yards out, but Kadet was able to knock it away from the upper corner. The UMBC keeper finished the night with six saves.&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><span>Following the break, UMBC applied more pressure on the offensive end and put together three quality scoring chances in the half. In the 68</span><sup>th</sup><span>&nbsp;minute, Rachel McKee's shot missed low past the far post after her cross was deflected back to her feet.&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><span>Stephanie Smith gave the Retrievers their next chance to break the tie in the 74</span><sup>th</sup><span>&nbsp;minute when she made her way in behind the Lafayette defense, forcing Smedley out to challenge her at the top of the box as&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.goleopards.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/boyce_kelly00.html">Kelly Boyce</a><span>&nbsp;came in from the back to break up the play.</span><br /><br /><span>A UMBC corner kick in the 86</span><sup>th</sup><span>&nbsp;minute led to a scramble in front of the Lafayette goal and Jessy Brown putting her head on the loose ball. Standing on the post was&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.goleopards.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/chickering_kelly00.html">Kelly Chickering</a><span>, who cleared the ball off the line.</span><br /><br /><span>"It's tough to play in your first game, in general," co-captain Stone said of the freshmen after the match. "Having to deal with the weather as well, I thought they played and acted with maturity and they really contributed tonight."</span><br /><br /><span>Less than five minutes into overtime, McKee collected a loose ball behind the Lafayette defense and was in alone on Smedley, but the Leopards' senior keeper came off her line and put a hand on the shot to tip the ball wide of the goal.&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><span>Two minutes later, Brownell had a shot on the other end, but Kadet came up with a big save to send the game into a second overtime. Nearly 30 seconds into the second extra session, Smedley came up with another diving save, this time on UMBC's Brown from 12 yards out.&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><span>Lafayette held the edge in shots, 14-12, while UMBC took six corners to Lafayette's five.&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><strong>Notes:<br /><br /></strong><span>The game was delayed 1:07 due to lightning before the start of the second half.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.goleopards.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/smedley_lauren00.html">Lauren Smedley</a><span>&nbsp;became Lafayette's all-time leader in minutes played for goalkeepers, passing&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.goleopards.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/wesmiller_ashley00.html">Ashley Wesmiller</a><span>&nbsp;'03.</span><br /><br /><span>Smedley is now two saves shy of Wesmiller (305) for second in Lafayette history with 303 career saves.&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><span>Smedley's 21</span><sup>st</sup><span>&nbsp;career shutout moves her into ninth in Patriot League History.</span><br /><br /><span>Five freshmen made their collegiate debuts in the game;&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.goleopards.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/wissler_anna00.html">Anna Wissler</a><span>,&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.goleopards.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/potoczak_samantha00.html">Samantha Potoczak</a><span>,&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.goleopards.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/torru_allie00.html">Allie Torru</a><span>,&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.goleopards.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/murray_madison00.html">Madison Murray</a><span>&nbsp;and&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.goleopards.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/chickering_kelly00.html">Kelly Chickering</a><span>.</span><br /><br /><span>Lafayette moves to 8-10-5 all-time in season opening games.&nbsp;</span></p>
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