Villanova University

Sept. 20, 2009

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VILLANOVA, Pa.--With her team's penchant for late-game heroics becoming the norm and not the exception, sophomore forward Katie Ryan (Wayne, N.J.) added the latest thrilling finish to the ledger on Sunday afternoon when her sixth career game-winning goal in the 90th minute lifted Villanova (7-1-1) to a 1-0 victory over Fordham (1-7-1) on Youth Day at the West Campus Soccer Complex. Ryan's goal - her eighth of the season - was the lone shot on goal the Wildcats managed in the game.

As time wound down with less than a minute to play in regulation - i.e. plenty of time for Villanova to make its move - junior midfielder Rachel Schuyler (Cheshire, Conn.) chipped a ball over the Rams defense to Ryan, who broke away towards the goal. She narrowly eluded Fordham goalkeeper Jen Byer with a soft touch inside the 18-yard box and the ball rolled into the left side of the net for the game's only score.

On a warm and humid afternoon, a slow-paced defensive struggle defined much of the game, with each team having just one shot on goal. The typically high-powered Villanova offense - back at full force - managed just three shots in the second half but capitalized on what may have been the one chance to notch the game-winning tally.

The victory enabled the Wildcats to close out their regular season non-conference schedule unbeaten for the third time in the last four years. Villanova went 7-0-1 this season against its non-BIG EAST foes and is 28-1-3 (.922) in these games since the start of the 2006 season. The Wildcats also improved to 5-0-1 at home on the year and are now 30-4-4 (.842) at the West Campus Soccer Complex in the same time period.

During a scoreless first half, the Rams outshot Villanova by a 6-5 margin thanks to a late push forward in the closing minutes of the period. Five of the six Fordham shots in the half came in the last eight minutes before the intermission, including back-to-back shots by Annie Worden in the final 78 seconds. Her unmarked shot in front of the net with 12 seconds left in the frame went just high of the net.

The push by the Rams started in the 38th minute when Worden was awarded the first corner kick of the game. The corner led to a shot attempt just in front of the net by Michelle Ancelj that sailed high over the net. Ancelj registered the only shot on goal of the half minutes later when her shot in the 41st minute was pushed aside by Wildcat senior goalkeeper Molly Williams (Hinsdale, Ill.).

In the opening minutes of the contest, Villanova easily controlled possession but was unable to put home any of its early attempts at the net. Schuyler and freshman forward Heidi Sabatura (Lawrenceville, N.J.) each had header shots in the first 3:11 of the game that went unredeemed.

The Wildcats return to action this coming Friday afternoon when they host Seton Hall at 4 p.m. That game will be the home conference opener for Villanova and the fourth home game in the last five contests for the team.

NOTES: Three of Ryan's six career game-winning goals have come this season ... Her eight goals this year match her total from last season, when she tied for the team lead in scoring ... The only non-conference regular season loss for the Wildcats in the last four years was 2-1 at Loyola (Md.) last year ... Villanova has 10 BIG EAST games on its remaining schedule this year.