2003 NCAA DIVISION II NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP #2 Kennesaw State Shuts Out #7 Franklin Pierce for Title
Tucker double lifts Owls to first National Championship in just second year
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (December 6, 2003) - Kennesaw State University (25-1) posted a 2-0 victory over Franklin Pierce (22-3) to claim its first NCAA Division II Women's Soccer National Championship in just its second year of existence at the Virginia Beach SportsPlex tonight.
Freshman forward Laura Tucker (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) netted both Kennesaw State goals and was named Offensive MVP of the Tournament. Sophomore back Katrina Hirsch (Marietta, Ga.) was named the Tournament's Defensive MVP. The Owls did not allow a goal in their five NCAA Tournament matches to set a new Tournament record and will carry a nine-match overall shutout streak into next season.
Franklin Pierce, which suffered its first ever loss in a National Championship match, placed four players on the NCAA All-Tournament Team in juniors Meghan Welcome (Haverhill, Mass./Haverhill) and Martta Makila (Vantaa, Finland) along with sophomores Sonya Hughes (Balbriggan, Ireland) and Laura Hislop (Belfast, Northern Ireland). Hughes came just one assist shy of matching the NCAA Tournament record for assists as her four helpers fell just short of the mark set by former Raven All-Americans Nathalie Geeris (1995) and Pauliina Miettinen (1997) as well as Lynn's Michelle Cox.
"We played well in spells," said Franklin Pierce Head Coach Jeff Bailey. "I thought we dominated possession in the first half, but one defensive mistake really hurt us."
Franklin Pierce dominated possession in the first half, but Kennesaw State got on the board first when Tucker re-directed a cross from freshman Alissa Saylor (Fayetteville, Ga.) at the top of the box into the lower left corner of the goal past Franklin Pierce senior goalkeeper Aase Kibsgaard (Korgen, Norway).
"Alissa played a great ball in," said Tucker. "I just tried to get myself open and then re-direct it towards the bottom corner and it happened."
Franklin Pierce had the first good scoring opportunity in the opening minutes on a similar play closer to goal, but Hislop's side-footed effort off a cross from Welcome was just wide in the ninth minute. Hislop had another bid in the 44th minute to knot the score just before the intermission, but it too was wide of the far post.
"Franklin Pierce had the edge in the first half," said Kennesaw State Head Coach Rob King. "They play a formation we do not usually see. I told the (team) at halftime that sometimes it is better to be lucky than good because we did not deserve to be up 1-0 at that point."
The Ravens also had the first good chance of the second half as Welcome and Hughes worked a nice give-and-go before finding Hislop for a shot that was deflected over the bar by a Kennesaw State defender.
Tucker put the match out of reach with just 6:42 left in regulation as she headed in a cross from Hirsch at the 83:18-mark.
"I kind of predicted that (Hirsch) would send it in," said Tucker. "I just dropped into the box and told myself to give it everything I had with my legs to get a shot."
"We were always at risk of giving up a second goal because we were pushing so many players forward there at the end," said Bailey. "At this level you can't fall asleep. We didn't want to fall behind because when they get a goal to defend, they are very tough."
Franklin Pierce scrambled to get back in the match and had a pair of chances in the closing minutes, but a header from freshman Alex Scavo (Markham, Ontario/Brother Andre) went just over the bar in the 85th minute, and a hard shot by Hughes at the top of the box was saved by Kennesaw sophomore goalkeeper Jessica Marek (Huntsville, Ala.).
"We gave away this one tonight," said Welcome. The dumb mistakes we made all season are killing us right now. It's a kick in the pants to make it this far and net make it over the hill."