Strong Defensive Effort Not Enough, ‘Cats Fall to Navy in Overtime in W. Soccer

Sunday, September 11

Annapolis, Md.

2:00 p.m.

Davidson College Athletics

1 (OT)

Navy

Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com

Strong Defensive Effort Not Enough, ‘Cats Fall to Navy in Overtime in W. Soccer

9/11/2011 4:54:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Gavin McFarlin -- Assistant SID

Box Score
Davidson Women's Soccer in Annapolis, Md. (video)
Find Your Favorite Wildcat Action Shot at DavidsonPhotos.com

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The Davidson Wildcats' backline gave an excellent defensive effort and freshman goalkeeper Rachel Locke made some outstanding saves in her first career start, but Navy broke through five minutes into overtime to score a 1-0 win at Glenn Warner Soccer Facility in women's soccer on Sunday afternoon.

Navy (5-2-1) captured the tournament title in its own tournament, while Locke, defender Meg Sanborn and forward Stephanie Piperno were named to the all-tournament team for Davidson. Piperno scored twice on Friday in the 'Cats win over George Washington.

The Wildcats' (2-4-1) defense never backed down all afternoon against the aggressive and speedy Navy Mids as they helped Davidson force overtime. Junior Rachel Barnett nearly sent the Wildcat faithful home victorious when she had a breakaway three minutes into overtime. Barnett tracked down the long through ball, but had it deflected away by a Navy defender halting the Wildcat threat.

Then two minutes later in overtime, the Mids were on the attack when Locke stretched out and made a diving stop on a shot. Navy lined up for its 10th corner kick of the game and as Davidson's defense tried to clear the ball after the kick, it went to Navy's Rachel Hunter, who gathered in the loose ball and fired a shot from the near sideline that found the back of the net at 94:52 mark for the game-winner.

Locke finished with five saves on the afternoon. Besides her diving stop in overtime, the freshman's other biggest save of the afternoon came in the latter stages of the second half. Navy had pushed the ball into the 18-yard box and were able to get a point-blank shot off, but Locke was there to stop it on a dive with her body and minimize the damage.

In regulation, both teams played scoreless ball as Davidson's defense held strong. Navy, which had 21 shots for the game, controlled possession the majority of time, but Davidson's backline of Rachel Stelter, Sophie Newsom, Louise Timboe, Sanborn and Julie Calhoun along with Locke in goal held their own against the aggressive Mids.

The 'Cats finished with just four shots, putting one of them on goal by Barnett.

This was the third time Davidson had played in the Navy Tournament.

Davidson returns home for Sunday affair with cross-county rival Charlotte at 7 p.m. on Sept. 18 at Alumni Stadium.

Scoring Summary
94:52 NAVY Rachel Hunter (unassisted)

Navy Invitational Wrap Up
Navy 2-0 – tournament champions
Bryant 1-1
Davidson 1-1
George Washington 0-2

All-Tournament Team
Navy
Rachel Hunter (MVP)
Sam Newhaller
Kate Herren

Davidson
Stephanie Piperno
Rachel Locke
Meg Sanborn

Bryant
Mary Green
Stephanie Morse
Suzanne Sanders

George Washington
Nicole Ulrick
Samie Cloutier