Nov. 5, 2009

No. 3 Fordham 3, No. 6 Massachusetts 0

BOXSCORE

Charlotte, N.C. - The third-seed Fordham Rams (10-11-1) defeated the sixth-seed Massachusetts Minutewomen (6-12-2), 3-0, in the first game of the 2009 Atlantic 10 Women's Soccer Championship at Charlotte's Transamerica Field. Fordham advanced to the semifinals behind goals from Annie Worden, Michelle Ancelj and Megan Cookson.

"I thought we played well," said Fordham head coach Ness Selmani. "We played them before so we knew what to expect."

Fordham defender Lauren Nowakowski took a shot on the goal with 30:24 to play in the first half. The ball was knocked around in the box by the Massachusetts defenders until Worden deflected the ball into the net. Fordham took the lead early, 1-0. Worden's goal was her sixth of the season.

Ancelj scored a goal from 18 yards out in the 57th minute increasing Fordham's lead to 2-0. Ancelj's goal was her fourth of the season.

The final goal was scored in the 72nd minute when Cookson scored off a Mariella Romano assist. Cookson's goal was her second of the season.

"It was a tough battle for us," said Massachusetts head coach Angela Napoli. "Our kids were still in the wonderment of the tournament... I think they let their nerves get the best of them."

Fordham out-shot UMass, 27-7, in the game. Fordham's Leah Loguidice led all players with seven shots.

With the victory, Fordham advances to play second-seed Charlotte, Friday, November 6 at 5:30 pm.

No. 5 Saint Louis 3, No. 4 St. Bonaventure 0

BOXSCORE

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- No. 5 seed Saint Louis scored an early goal and added a pair of second-half insurance tallies Thursday night, thumping No. 4 St. Bonaventure 3-0 in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic 10 Women's Soccer Championship at Transamerica Field.

The Billikens (8-8-4) advance to Friday's semifinals to face top-seeded Dayton (14-0-5) at 7 p.m. (CT). No. 2 seed and host Charlotte will square off against No. 3 Fordham, a 3-0 winner over Massachusetts in Thursday's first quarterfinal match, at 4:30 p.m. (CT).

Sophomore Andrea Barklage (Lake St. Louis, Mo./Incarnate Word) netted her fifth goal of the season, with an assist from senior Ashley Hayes (St. Louis, Mo./Incarnate Word) just 2:15 into the proceedings. Barklage took Hayes' cross at the top of the box and fired a shot past St. Bonaventure keeper Nicole Markert. The assist was Hayes' fifth of the season.

The goal was one of seven Billiken shots on frame in the opening stanza and part of a 14-5 SLU advantage in total shots. Saint Louis sophomore Hannah Perry (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton North) turned away all three of the Bonnies' shots on goal in the first 45 minutes.

Although the Bills missed a penalty kick just moments into the second half, the offensive onslaught continued. SLU launched four shots on goal in the first 16 minutes before junior Ashley Brazill (St. Charles, Mo./Incarnate Word), who recorded a career-high seven shots, connected for her fourth goal of the year at 61:10 to give the Billikens a 2-0 advantage. Brazill fielded a cross from the touchline from senior Kelly Waeckerle (St. Louis, Mo./Parkway West), who notched her sixth assist of the season, and found the right side of the net.

It didn't take long for SLU to ice the game with a third tally. This time it was Waeckerle picking up her second goal of the year on a breakaway at the 67:18 mark.

Perry was forced to make just one save in the final period to finish with four. She registered her eighth shutout of the season and the team's 10th. Markert made 12 saves for St. Bonaventure (10-11). The Bills chalked up 26 total shots to just eight for the Bonnies.