November 4, 2007
BOX SCORE
FARMVILLE, Va. -- Longwood University dropped a 2-0 women's soccer decision to visiting South Dakota State University Sunday afternoon at the Athletics Complex in Farmville. It was the final regular season contest for the Lancers who are now 9-8-1, while the Jackrabbits improved to 9-4-4. Longwood will travel to Orem, Utah this week as the #1 seed (5-0) for the United Soccer Conference (USC) Tournament to be hosted by Utah Valley University November 7-11. The Lancers have earned a bye into the USC Tournament semifinals on Friday, Nov. 9, at 12 p.m..
Against South Dakota State on Senior Day, Longwood started slow and allowed a quick goal just 2:08 into the match when Heather Hill found a loose ball in the box and beat the keeper to the right post. The Jackrabbits increased the margin to two goals at 30:50 as Erin Kasmarik took a pass from Danni Healy inside the box and found the net again for the visitors who led 2-0 at the intermission. Each team had a couple of additional scoring opportunities during the second half but neither squad was able to convert as the margin remained throughout the final 45 minutes. Sophomore forward Michelle DeSieno/Centreville (Chantilly) led the Lancers with two shots.
South Dakota State took a 10-7 advantage in shots, including 6-2 on-goal, while Longwood managed a 3-2 edge on corner kicks. Senior keeper Anne Whitmore/Charlottesville (Western Albemarle) played the duration in front of the net for the Lancers with four saves. Nicole Lograsso played the duration for the Jackrabbits as well with two stops. It was the first-ever meeting between the two schools in women's soccer.
Longwood will participate in its third USC Tournament this week, and the Lancers will be looking to win their first conference tournament title. Longwood finished unbeaten against its USC opponents this season, defeating Delaware State (1-0), NJIT (1-0), and Utah Valley (2-1) at home along with roads wins at Howard (1-0) and South Carolina State (2-1). The Lancers completed the campaign 8-4-1 in their last 13 contests after opening the year 1-4, despite battling injuries throughout the fall as three student-athletes will seek medical hardship waivers for another year of eligibility due to season-ending injuries while six others have missed games due to injuries as well.