The AU women’s soccer team has continued its trend of alternating wins and losses to start the 2011 season, as the Eagles dropped Monday’s game to the University of Vermont Catamounts 1-0 in Burlington, Vt.
After 72 minutes of scoreless action, Jill Dellipriscoli headed in a corner that proved to be the game winner for the Catamounts (1-1-1). The Eagles (2-2) only forced Vermont goalkeeper Sarah Leiby to make one save on the afternoon.
Each team registered three shots in the first half, with AU holding a 1-0 advantage in corner kicks after 45 minutes without action. Arianna Efstathiou, in her first start of the season, totaled two saves by half while her counterpart Leiby made her only save on the afternoon from a shot by Samantha Trotta.
Following the evenly played opening stanza, the Catamounts improved their attack and increased their scoring chances. After earning no corners in the opening 45 minutes, Vermont picked up five corners in the second half, with one leading to the game-winning goal.
Dellipriscoli’s goal, assisted by Megan Rozumalski, was one of seven shots for Vermont in the second half. The Catamounts would outshoot the Eagles 10-7 on the afternoon, with Trotta’s effort the only AU attempt on net.
Following Dellipriscoli’s goal, Vermont preserved the clean sheet over the final 17 minutes for its first win of the season. The win was also the first for first-year Catamount head coach Kristi Lefebvre.
This was the second meeting between the two teams in as many years, with Vermont avenging last year’s 2-1 loss to the Eagles. Last season, the then-freshmen duo of Shaena Alfonsi and Brenna Smith scored the two goals in AU’s win.
After splitting its two contests in Vermont, the Eagles will return to Washington, D.C., this week to play host to the Robert Morris University Colonials on Friday, Sept. 2 and the University of Iowa Hawkeyes on Sunday, Sept. 4. The Colonials are 3-1-1 on the young season, while the Hawkeyes are 3-0, with their three wins being by a combined score of 11-2.
ttomea@theeagleonline.com
