Women's Soccer Ties Lehigh, 1-1
8/30/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
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SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. - The Seton Hall women's soccer team played its second double-overtime game in three contests on the young season, earning a 1-1 draw against Lehigh in front of a packed house at Owen T. Carroll Field. The Pirates remain undefeated at 2-0-1, the best start for the program since 2007.
SHU struck first in a very unconventional way 18 minutes into the game. With the Moutain Hawks (0-0-1) taking a corner kick, junior goalkeeper Jennifer Pettigrew (Kearny, N.J.) punched a tricky shot over the top of the goal to force another corner. Off the second set piece, Pettigrew secured a crossing attempt and launched a punt down the field. The ball hit the turf and bounced over a Lehigh defender right to sophomore Katie Ritter (Hagerstown, Md.), who was left one-on-one with netminder Ashley Blanks. Ritter's first shot trickled off diving Blanks, and Ritter followed up with a shot into the empty net for her second tally of the year.
The assist by Pettigrew was the first for a Pirate goalie since Leah Miller was credited with a helper on a Katie Herr goal on October 23, 2002 against Villanova.
Just over two minutes later, Pettigrew was forced to make another tough save off a shot by Paige Dyrek to force a Mountain Hawk corner. Murphee Greenley's long pass went off a couple of bodies in front and came to Isabelle Li, who settled and fired the equalizer from five yards out on the left side.
In the second half, Seton Hall continued to apply the pressure but could not find the back of the net. In the 56th minute, an Amie Ruhe (Monrovia, Md.) shot of a free kick just outside the penalty box just missed to the right side of the goal.
Ruhe set up another great scoring chance with a long pass down the left side to Stephanie Soma (Franklin, Mass.) in the 71st minute, but Blanks made a nice diving stop to prevent the go-ahead goal.
Lehigh had its best chance in the opening minute of the first overtime after Greenly found some space just outside the 26-yard area from the left side. However, her left-footed strike went high and wide of the goal to keep the game going.
In the closing minutes of the second extra session, the Pirates had two more chances to win it after a nice step-over move by Ashley Clarke (Paramus, N.J.) created space for a shot that Blanks had to make a stop on. With just over a minute to go, Ritter found a seem and was by herself again, but this time her shot went to the left as the clubs walked away with the draw.
SHU outshot the Mountain Hawks, 17-9. Pettigrew made four stops, while Blanks made eight saves in her collegiate debut. Ritter was tied for the team lead with four shots, three were on target.
The Pirates will return to action on Friday, September 2 when they face Army in West Point, N.Y. to open up the West Point Tournament. Kick-off is set for 7:00 p.m.
