Top-Seeded Rangers Turn Back Gophers, 13-9
Foster Keeps Goucher in Game with 20-Save Performance
April 29, 2009
MADISON, N.J. – Thanks in large part to a 20-save performance
out of senior goalkeeper Brittany Foster (Portland,
Maine/Portland), Goucher stayed within striking distance
of top-seeded Drew today in the semifinals of the 2009 Landmark
Conference championship tournament until the very end.
In fact, after Mary Lambert (Chapel Hill, N.C./Chapel
Hill) tallied back-to-back goals 1:07 apart midway through
the second half and then the Gophers scored off a free-position
shot by Jenny Lucey (Newbury, N.H./Kimball Union Academy) with 8:40
remaining, what had been a 12-6 deficit had been narrowed to
12-9.
But the Rangers wouldn't allow head coach Katie Trainor's squad to
get any closer. Instead, they built their lead back up to four
goals when Lyndsay Rossi scored with 7:42 left to play and when
neither team was able to score the rest of the way, Drew had
secured a spot in the championship game with a 13-9 victory.
The Rangers (10-7) assumed their biggest lead of the first half
with 2:26 remaining in the period when a goal by Brook Connell made
the score 8-4. An unassisted goal by Colleen Cole
(Holliston, MA/Northfield Mt. Hebron School) with 1:13
showing on the clock reduced Drew's advantage to 8-5 at
halftime.
Before Cole tallied Goucher's first goal of the second half, the
Rangers were able to extend their lead to 10-5 with a pair of goals
by Stacie Brown.
Foster made 12 of her 20 saves during the second half when the
Gophers (7-8) were being outshot 18-10.