Box Score WASHINGTON - With a Saturday afternoon 2-1 victory over Susquehanna University, The Catholic University of America women's soccer team has clinched the No.1 spot in the Landmark Conference regular season standing and the opportunity to host the conference semi-final match. The win advances the Cardinals to 13-2 overall and 6-0 in the Landmark while the Crusaders fall to 8-7-2, 1-5.
The Crusaders gave the Cards an early scare when they notched a goal in the 17th minute of play. Catholic fought back and was awarded a penalty kick after a a Susquehanna hand ball in the 18-yard box in the 37th minute. Landmark leading goal scorer, junior Lindsay Aleman, took the PK, sending the ball into the back left corner of the net, equalizing the game at one before the halftime break.
Following the intermission the Cardinal offense went on a mission outshooting the Crusaders 12-1 in the second half. The game winner finally came in the 82nd minute when senior Maddy Thompson inbounded a corner kick that landed on the foot of sophomore Kiera Lyons, who knocked the ball inside the goal.
Seniors Lexi Halperin and Amy-Lynn Friel split time between the posts for the Cardinals, tallying 4 saves in the contest. Freshman Taylor Pisk along with senior Ava Brown and Lyons led the Catholic shooting with four shots a piece.
Prior to the game head coach J.P. Sousa honored Brown, Friel, Halperin and Thompson along with the rest of the team's senior class, Nicole Appet, Kelly Henderson, Alexa Tsaganos, and Kirsten Wosleger, for an outstanding four years at CUA.
During the halftime intermission Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics Sean Sullivan recognized alumnae of the CUA women's soccer program as they celebrate its 30th anniversary as an NCAA varsity sport. The 2015 season also marks the 10th anniversary of the program's first conference title, when they beat York for the CAC crown in 2005.
The Cardinals will close out their regular season with their final conference match up on Saturday Oct. 31, when they take on the Eagles of Juniata in Huntingdon, Pa.
