Gophers Put Scare into Nationally Ranked Cardinals
TOWSON, Md. — Goucher didn't pick up its first victory over Catholic since 1995 tonight, but the Gophers did score their first goal against the Cardinals in 10 years.
Armao Tallies Goucher's First Goal vs. Catholic Since 2000
TOWSON, Md. — Goucher didn't pick up its first victory over Catholic since 1995 tonight, but the Gophers did score their first goal against the Cardinals in 10 years.
The goal senior forward Catherine Armao (Pleasantville, N.Y./Pleasantville) scored to end the Gophers' long dry spell in the series between the two rivals created a 1-1 tie with 15:01 left to play. The nationally ranked Cardinals were able to regain the lead, however, on a goal by Kendall Petschauer and then hang on for a 2-1 Landmark Conference victory.
Following a scoreless first half in which Catholic got off nine shots and Goucher only one, the Cardinals (9-1, 1-1 Landmark) went ahead 1-0 on a goal by Mary Swarthout 12:27 into the second period. It was the junior forward's team-leading 10th goal of the season.
The Gophers (3-8, 0-3 Landmark) were awarded only five penalty corners the entire contest, but it was on one of them that they scored the game-tying goal. Sophmore midfielder Katie Gallagher (Green Brook, N.J./Watchung Hills Regional) got off the first shot after senior midfielder Sara Spadanuta (Hackettstown, N.J./Warren Hills) stroked her entry pass. Gallagher's long attempt was blocked into a scrum from which sophomore midfielder Angela Buxton (Springfield, Mass./Central) directed the ball toward the goal and Armao was in position to tip it in.
The 1-1 tie lasted more than seven minutes before Petschauer scored with 7:35 remaining to provide the Cardinals, No. 13 in the latest Kookaburra/National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division III National Coaches Poll, with a 2-1 advantage.
Armao's goal was her fourth of the season, but it was the first Goucher scored against Catholic since the Cardinals defeated the Gophers, 6-1, in 2000. The two teams played 10 times since then prior to tonight and the combined score of those contests was 45-0.
Since Goucher's 1-0 triumph over Catholic back in 1995, the Cardinals have strung together 19 consecutive wins over the Gophers.