Feb. 24, 2007
Box Score
VILLANOVA, Pa. - Sophomore Katie Stone (Garden City, N.Y.) scored three goals on Saturday afternoon and Villanova (1-0) won its season opener 8-7 over Fairfield (0-1) at Villanova Stadium. The Wildcats trailed 6-5 with under 15 minutes to play but scored three unanswered goals in a span of seven minutes to take the lead for good.
Stone scored her third goal of the game with 14:35 remaining to tie the score at 6-6 and senior Christina Bahrs (Oceanport, N.J.) put Villanova ahead with a free-position goal just over a minute later. With 7:43 to play, junior Stevie McFadden (Reisterstown, Md.) scored an unassisted goal that gave the Wildcats some much-needed insurance. The Stags scored their final goal of the game with 19 seconds left.
McFadden added two goals for the Wildcats, who led 3-2 at halftime before rallying for the win late in the game. Senior goalie Jessica Brozena (West Long Branch, N.J.) kept Fairfield at bay in the decisive second period, making seven of her 11 saves after halftime.
It was the Stags who started off the second half with momentum, taking a 4-3 lead after scoring goals just 10 seconds apart in the opening two minutes of the period. Rebecca White scored with just 1:20 elapsed in the half and Abbey Goodwin responded with another goal seconds later.
There were six ties and six lead changes in the game as the teams traded scores throughout the contest. After falling behind in those opening minutes of the second half, Villanova went ahead 5-4 on goals by sophomore Taryn McKenna (Dix Hills, N.Y.) and Stone. The goal by Stone - her second of the game - put the Wildcats ahead with 22:19 remaining.
Fairfield scored the next two goals in a span of 1:42 and went ahead 6-5 with 16:15 to play. White scored her second goal of the game on a feed from Sarah Masterson and Kylee Martin notched the goal that put the Stags ahead.
Villanova controlled the ground game, picking up 41 ground balls to 25 for the Stags. The Wildcats also owned a slim 24-22 shot advantage for the day. Fairfield goalie Lauren Chatnik had eight saves in the game.
Up next for Villanova is their first road game of the season this Wednesday against Rutgers at 7 p.m.
