Lynchburg, VA - The Montclair State women's soccer team saw its wonderful 2012 season come to end on Sunday as the Red Hawks fell to Lynchburg College, 2-0 in the second round of the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship at Shellenberger Field.
Sophomore goalkeeper
Gina Policastro (East Brunswick, NJ, East Brunswick) made seven saves for MSU, which finished its season at 16-2-3, suffering a loss for the first time since October 6. Montclair State, the NJAC champion, was making just its third NCAA Tournament appearance and its first since 2006.
The defenses dominated the first half, with the teams combining for just eight shots and only three on net. Shortly after the intermission, the Hornets were awarded a free kick from about 35 yards out. Hornet senior Nikki Rhodes lifted the shot just over the out-stretched hands of the Red Hawk keeper at the 47:46 mark and into the back of the net for the game's first score.
LC put on the pressure late in the second half trying to tack on an insurance goal. Policastro made several clutch saves to keep her team in the game and had six stops in the second half.
Rhodes stymied a Montclair scoring attempt with just 10 minutes left, kicking the ball away from the goal line on a shot attempt. LC finally got its insurance goal in the final minute. With 10 Red Hawks on the offensive end trying to net the game-tying goal, sophomore Dessi Dupuy took a pass from junior Angela Bosco and scored on a breakaway with only the keeper back and 25 ticks remaining on the game clock.
Senior Audrey Moore made four stops to post her ninth shutout of the season. LC held an 18-9 edge in total shots and a 6-2 advantage in corner kicks.
