Nov. 8, 2002
For the first time in the 12-year history of the Patriot League women's soccer tournament, the top two seeded teams lost in the semifinal round.
Friday at West Point's Clinton Field, No. 1 Army was upended by fourth-seeded Colgate by a 2-1 margin in the nightcap of the League's semifinal doubleheader. In the opening contest, second-seeded Navy suffered its first loss of the season, 2-1 in double overtime, to third-seeded American.
That puts the AU Eagles and the CU Raiders in Sunday's 1 p.m. championship match at Army. The winner will gain an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, which begins Friday, Nov. 15.
In the opener, AU freshman midfielder Natalie Rodovsky one-timed a pass from the wing from freshman Marcella Ricupero from 12 yards out in the first minute of the second overtime period to lift third-seeded American (9-8-2) to a 2-1 upset over previously unbeaten second-seeded Navy (16-1-4) in the first game of the twinbill.
Freshman Simone Konig opened the scoring in the seventh minute of the match by curling in a direct kick from 22 yards out. Navy evened the score with 16 minutes left in regulation when junior Stacy Finley, the two-time Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year, scored off an assist from senior midfielder Nadia Sheikh.
Navy dominated the first 100 minutes of the match, outshooting the Eagles by a 30-11 margin. Finley had seven shots in the match while junior forward Amelia Sheveland had a game-high eight attempts.
AU sophomore keeper Jen Liese was credited with nine saves while Navy netminder Kim Bonafede rejected five shots.
In the second game, freshman Kelly Kuss gave Colgate (7-8-2) the lead in the 16th minute from 10 yards out off an assist by senior Hilary Weissman.
Army (12-3-2) pressured the Raiders throughout the match, similar to the way Navy pressured American, but failed to get the equalizer.
CU added what proved to be the game-winning goal in the 84th minute when junior Kate Barrett picked up a loose ball on the left wing and beat Army keeper Morgan Bennett just inside the far post.
Army, which outshot the visitors by a 24-14 margin, broke the shutout with just 16 seconds remaining when senior Lauren Rowe, the League's Defensive Player of the Year, beat CU keeper Kate Jassin.
Jassin finished with eight saves while Bennett had two.
