Sept. 30, 2007

Box Score

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. - Senior Kaley Guthrie (Ogdensburg, N.J.) scored her third goal of the season on a rebound that caromed off the goalkeeper and Villanova (7-0-4, 1-0-2 BIG EAST) tied the game 1-1 just 42 seconds after Seton Hall (5-3-2, 1-1-1 BIG EAST) had taken a 1-0 lead early in the second half. However, the Wildcats were unable to convert on scoring opportunities the remainder of the game and had to settle for remaining undefeated by way of a 1-1 draw on Sunday afternoon at Owen T. Carroll Field.

After giving up a goal for the first time in more than four games, Villanova gave no indications of relenting on an aggressive attack that produced 17 shots and a near BIG EAST record 15 corner kicks. On the ensuing possession after the Pirates goal, senior Nikki Mabery (Phoenix, Ariz.) fired a hard shot at the goal as she came up the left side and into the middle of the box. Her shot was deflected off the hands of goalkeeper Amanda Becker, and the carom came to Guthrie, who one-timed the ball into the corner of the net to tie the game.

The Wildcats owned a 13-9 edge in shots after the Seton Hall goal and took nine of their corner kicks after halftime. Among the 17 shots for Villanova, two hit off the goalpost and several others were blocked at close range during scrambles in front of the net.

Possession of the ball was controlled by the Wildcats throughout the game but the Pirates created scoring chances of their own, as the game played to a quick and sometimes frenetic pace on the fast track of the field turf at Seton Hall. Senior goalkeeper Jillian Loyden (Vineland, N.J.) had six saves, with five of those coming once the game was tied 1-1. She had two saves on the only two Pirate shots in the first overtime period.

The Seton Hall goal materialized on an unsettled situation in front of the net, and Nicki Gross registered her fourth goal of the season on a straight shot to the left corner. Katie Andreski fed Gross to set up the tally.

One of the best chances for Villanova to take the lead came in the 77th minute when junior Nicole Coia (Simpsonville, S.C.) had a potential breakaway opportunity down the middle of the field. However, she was tripped by a Seton Hall defender several yards outside the box and the ball was returned to the Pirates.

The Wildcats began a string of five straight road games with today's contest. Villanova heads to Milwaukee for its next game and will take on Marquette on Friday night at 7 p.m. (CST). The Wildcats also will travel to Tampa for a game at University of South Florida next Sunday at 1 p.m. during the same trip.

POST-GAME NOTES

The Seton Hall goal marked the first time the Pirates have scored against the Wildcats since 2002. Villanova had posted four straight 1-0 victories (including two in overtime) each year between 2003-06 ... Seton Hall had not scored on the Wildcats in nearly 464 minutes of play.

The Wildcats also saw a shutout streak of 487:14 end with the Pirates goal. Villanova was last scored on by Lehigh in the second half of its sixth game of the season. The Wildcats had posted four straight shutouts since then.

The 1-1 tie with Lehigh was the only other time this season that Villanova saw the opposition net the first goal of the game. Since 1997, the Wildcats are just 13-55-9 (.227) when the opponent scores the first goal.

The BIG EAST record for corner kicks in a conference game is 16, set by Notre Dame against Seton Hall on October 24, 1997.