Tucker double lifts Owls to first
National Championship in just second year
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.
(December 6, 2003) - Kennesaw State University (25-1)
posted a 2-0 victory over Franklin Pierce (22-3) to claim its first
NCAA Division II Women's Soccer National Championship in just its
second year of existence at the Virginia Beach SportsPlex tonight.
Freshman forward Laura
Tucker (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) netted both Kennesaw State
goals and was named Offensive MVP of the Tournament. Sophomore back
Katrina Hirsch (Marietta, Ga.) was named
the Tournament's Defensive MVP. The Owls did not allow a goal in
their five NCAA Tournament matches to set a new Tournament record
and will carry a nine-match overall shutout streak into next
season.
Franklin Pierce, which suffered its
first ever loss in a National Championship match, placed four
players on the NCAA All-Tournament Team in juniors
Meghan Welcome (Haverhill,
Mass./Haverhill) and Martta Makila
(Vantaa, Finland) along with sophomores
Sonya Hughes (Balbriggan, Ireland) and
Laura Hislop (Belfast, Northern Ireland).
Hughes came just one assist shy of matching the NCAA Tournament
record for assists as her four helpers fell just short of the mark
set by former Raven All-Americans Nathalie Geeris (1995) and
Pauliina Miettinen (1997) as well as Lynn's Michelle Cox.
"We played well in spells," said
Franklin Pierce Head Coach Jeff Bailey.
"I thought we dominated possession in the first half, but one
defensive mistake really hurt
us."
Franklin Pierce dominated
possession in the first half, but Kennesaw State got on the board
first when Tucker re-directed a cross from freshman
Alissa Saylor (Fayetteville, Ga.) at the
top of the box into the lower left corner of the goal past Franklin
Pierce senior goalkeeper Aase Kibsgaard (Korgen,
Norway).
"Alissa played a great ball in,"
said Tucker. "I just tried to get myself open and then re-direct it
towards the bottom corner and it happened."
Franklin Pierce had the first good
scoring opportunity in the opening minutes on a similar play closer
to goal, but Hislop's side-footed effort off a cross from Welcome
was just wide in the ninth minute. Hislop had another bid in the
44th minute to knot the score just before the
intermission, but it too was wide of the far post.
"Franklin Pierce had the edge in
the first half," said Kennesaw State Head Coach Rob
King. "They play a formation we do not usually see. I
told the (team) at halftime that sometimes it is better to be lucky
than good because we did not deserve to be up 1-0 at that point."
The Ravens also had the first good
chance of the second half as Welcome and Hughes worked a nice
give-and-go before finding Hislop for a shot that was deflected
over the bar by a Kennesaw State defender.
Tucker put the match out of reach
with just 6:42 left in regulation as she headed in a cross from
Hirsch at the 83:18-mark.
"I kind of predicted that (Hirsch)
would send it in," said Tucker. "I just dropped into the box and
told myself to give it everything I had with my legs to get a
shot."
"We were always at risk of giving
up a second goal because we were pushing so many players forward
there at the end," said Bailey. "At this level you can't fall
asleep. We didn't want to fall behind because when they get a goal
to defend, they are very tough."
Franklin Pierce scrambled to get
back in the match and had a pair of chances in the closing minutes,
but a header from freshman Alex Scavo (Markham,
Ontario/Brother Andre) went just over the bar in the
85th minute, and a hard shot by Hughes at the top of the
box was saved by Kennesaw sophomore goalkeeper Jessica
Marek (Huntsville, Ala.).
"We gave away this one tonight,"
said Welcome. The dumb mistakes we made all season are killing us
right now. It's a kick in the pants to make it this far and net
make it over the hill."
MATCH
STATISTICS
