University of Louisville
ST. JOHN'S
Women's Soccer Calms Red Storm 2-1 Friday
September 29, 2006 | Women's Soccer
Sept. 29, 2006
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Junior Erica Robinson headed home the game winner with a little over three minutes to go as the 23rd-ranked University of Louisville women's soccer team overcame a 1-0 deficit to edge St. John's 2-1 on a rainy Friday at Frazier Cardinal Park.
"I thought St. John's was very good and very prepared to play us and threw us off in the first half," said a relieved U of L Head Coach Karen Ferguson.
"It took us until early in the second half to click, but our attitude and aggressiveness was the difference."
The Red Storm (5-2-3, 3-2-1 BIG EAST) struck first when Kelly McConnell beat Cardinal keeper Joanna Haig from a harsh angle on the right side of the box just on what looked to be an errant cross 2:52 into the match for the 1-0 advantage. Krystle Jalalian picked up the only assist on McConnell's first goal of the season.
St. John's was outshot by the Cardinals (8-1-1, 3-1-0 BIG EAST) 7-3 in the first half, and outcornered 3-0.
Louisville continued to out chance the Red Storm and finally broke through when freshman Lindsay Boling fed senior Jamie Craft who knotted the game at one with her sixth goal of the season at the 71:36 mark.
Robinson punctuated the 12-1 Louisville shot advantage in the second half by converting on Laura Walker's corner kick, heading in the winner at 86:55. It was Robinson's first goal of the season.
"The game winner couldn't have happened to a nicer kid," Ferguson said of Robinson.
"She works hard day in day out and made the most of her minutes tonight."
Ferguson was pleased with the effort of a number of players including freshmen Lindsey Fox and Sara Scharoun, but singled out senior midfielder Heather Engel as the player of the game.
"She was great from start to finish."
U of L held a 19-4 shot advantage for the match, paced by Fox who had four.
At the conclusion of the match Walker, whose second assist of the season set up the game winner, discovered that her parents and brother had flown in from England for Family Weekend.
The Cardinals will host Syracuse (1-8-3, 0-3-1 BIG EAST) in the second of four straight home games, on Sunday at Cardinal Park beginning at 1:00 p.m. The Orange played Cincinnati to a scoreless tie Friday night.
