Nov. 4, 2005

Box Score

PISCATAWAY, N.J. - The No. 17 Wildcats (15-4, 4-1 Big East) scored four unanswered goals in the second half to beat fourth-seeded Syracuse in the Big East Tournament Semifinal at Rutgers University. Junior Megan Foster ( Berlin, N.J./Bishop Eustace) scored two goals after a three-game drought to lead the Wildcats to the 4-1 victory. Villanova will now face Connecticut in the Big East Championship at noon on Sunday.

Syracuse struck first nearing the end of an evenly played first half. With just two minutes left, Ashley Fry dribbled through the Villanova defense and lost the ball. Junior Jessica Lerew recovered it and shot into the right corner of the goal past a diving Alex Whalen (Basking Ridge, N.J./Ridge) to make it 1-0 going into the break.

Villanova stepped up to the challenge three and a half minutes into the second stanza after gaining momentum on a free hit in the right corner. `Nova attacked on the right side and Big East Defensive Player of the Year, Lauren Campanelli (Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy), hit the ball into the middle of the circle, Foster then redirected it into the goal to tie it up.

The `Cats took the lead off of a pure penalty corner with a Stephanie Campbell (Gibbsboro, N.J./Eastern Regional) rocket into the net with 17:59 remaining in the game. Campanelli and Second Team All-Big East midfielder Sara Schmidt (Mullica Hill, N.J./Wilmington Friends) recorded the assists.

Foster scored her second goal of the evening three minutes later dribbling on the left side and snuck the ball past Big East Goalkeeper of the Year, Heather Hess, to make the score 3-1. Big East Co-Offensive Player of the Year, Rory Rogers (Rosemont, Pa., Sacred Heart Academy) helped put the game away at 1:11 getting knocked down in the circle by Hess. An infraction was called and freshman Julia Noorduyn (Rotterdam, Netherlands/Libanon Lyceum Rotterdam) took the penalty stroke to make the final 4-1.

Hess held the advantage in saves with five facing thirteen shots. Whalen had only two saves, but both were integral to the outcome of the game. Villanova also had nine penalty corners to Syracuse's three.

The Wildcats now head to the Championship game for the third time in program history to face the two seeded, No. 14 Connecticut Huskies (15-5, 4-1 Big East). Villanova previously beat UConn this season, 4-3 in Storrs, Conn. The Championship game will be played on Sunday at noon in Piscataway, N.J. It will be televised on ESPNU tape-delayed at 5 p.m. that evening. The game can also be followed on the Internet at www.villanova.com.