Oct. 17, 2008

Box Score

MILWAUKEE - For the seventh time this season, the Marquette women's soccer team needed overtime to decide a victor, however for the first time this season it was not MU who came out on top. Caitlin Rehder's golden goal in the 103rd minute gave Louisville a 1-0 double overtime win over the Golden Eagles at Valley Fields Friday evening. The win helps Louisville to improve to 6-5-3 overall (4-2-2 BIG EAST), while Marquette falls to 9-5-2 (5-2-1).

"This is a disappointing loss for our team," said head coach Markus Roeders. "I think we had good intentions and the energy was there before the game. Really, we never settled the ball down in the first half and didn't establish any sort of a rhythm. I thought some of our possession was going backward more than going forward. When we did attack them in the midfield and got it to our frontline, we didn't created enough opportunities and that is what we have to do. You can't just rely on one or two chances."

Just over two minutes into to the second overtime, Rehder buried her shot far post out of reach for redshirt freshman Natalie Kulla to win the game. The play started in the midfield with Kelsey Hunyadi dishing the ball off to Giselle Mangal, who in turn found Rehder open for the score.

"It comes down to a mistake on our end where the ball ends up in the middle of the field and they (Louisville) had a player who was opportunistic enough to take the shot and it went in far post. We are disappointed, but we can only blame ourselves for the game, the way we played and being on the losing end of it," said Roeders.

In a back and fourth game which was near even in almost every statistical category, the two teams battled hard for over 100 minutes of play. Marquette's defense was sound for a majority of the game as it swallowed almost any chance Louisville created. Kulla was credited with three saves for the game, including a magnificent one-handed punch of the ball up and over the goal with one hand after Mangal launched a shot on goal from 12 yards out in the 52nd minute.

"Our defense was sound, they have been all year. They have done what we have asked them to do all season. We don't give the other team too many chances to score, but when we do and when we can't create on the offensively, we end up on the losing end of the game," said Roeders.

Marquette owned a slight advantage in the shots category, 10-8, but was only able to put two shots on goal in the first half, one in the second and none in both of the overtimes. It was the same for Louisville, however, its strike in the second overtime prove to be the difference maker.

Although the Golden Eagles didn't create nearly the amount of chances it would have liked tonight over the entire game, it was dangerous on set plays in the first half. Marquette had quatlity chances in the opening frame first on a corner kick awarded in the sixth minute. Senior Katie Kelly served the ball in right to the head of sophomore Julia Victor who whose header went wide. Just over three minutes later, Kelly sent in another ball from the corner but it was quickly knocked out of play by the Cardinals' defense.

On its third and final corner of the game in the 17th minute, this time served in by Lauren Acree, Louisville tried to clear the ball but it went to the foot of freshman striker Danielle Martens. Martens was unable to convert as her shot went wide of the Cardnials goal.

Late in the first half, Louisville was called for a foul inside its own territory leaving Marquette with the ensuing free kick to Kelly. Kelly found freshman Lisa Philbin who directed her shot on goal but it was saved by Cardinals' keeper Katie Zoeller.

The Golden Eagles will be back in action at Valley Fields on Sunday, Oct. 19 when they host Cincinnati at 1 p.m.

"We have to regroup. We have another game on Sunday and that is probably the best thing we could ask for. Hopefully we will come out with the energy and determination to play a better game tonight," said Roeders.