Sept. 4, 2005
Box Score
LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Junior Meggie Curran (Silver Spring, Md.) headed home a goal in the 54th minute as Navy responded from an early hole to tie Loyola Marymount 1-1 in women's soccer action from Sullivan Field in Los Angeles, Calif. With the tie, the Mids moved to 2-1-1 on the year, while the Lions see their mark go to 0-2-2.
The tie was Navy's first since August 29, 2004, when the Mids played George Mason to a 1-1 draw. Loyola Marymount has had each its first four games this season go into double overtime, while Navy played in its second overtime affair of the year. The Midshipmen won its only other overtime contest this season, a 3-2 triumph over LaSalle back on August 28.
Loyola Marymount controlled the play early in the contest and got on the board at the 13:26 mark of the first half. Whitney Temple (Piedmont, Calif.) received the ball off a Sarah Aldama (Redlands, Calif.) corner kick, and fired a shot past goalkeeper Haley Crain (Friendswood, Texas) from 15 yards out to put the Lions ahead 1-0.
Soon thereafter, Navy turned up the pressure and controlled most of the action during the final 30 minutes of the half, yet trailed 1-0 going into halftime. However, the Midshipmen continued to attack and had their efforts pay off in the 54th minute. Sarah Hessinger (Oceanside, Calif.) pressed a Loyola Marymount defender with the ball, won it from her and got the ball to Brigitte Fox (La Mesa, Calif.). Fox then served up a cross from the left to Curran, who beat goalkeeper Joslyn Slovek (Scottsdale, Ariz.) with a header to knot the match at one with 36:09 remaining in regulation.
For Curran, it was her first goal on the season and the 18th of her career. The two points moved her ahead of Katie Eames (2001-04) and Anne Kipp (1995-98) into tenth place in program history with 53 points over her two-plus seasons with Navy. The junior forward needs only two points to move into a tie for ninth with Kara Hardebeck (1999-02).
Both teams had its opportunities during the remainder of the match, but both defenses rose to the challenge as the two teams drew a tie. The Midshipmen were outshot 18-7 during the match, but Crain stepped up to make four saves to earn her first career tie.
"I am really proud of our team commitment today, everybody played a role," said 13th-year head coach Carin Gabarra. "Getting a tie out of a great team like Loyola Marymount is a great result for us right now. We played some of the best soccer we have ever played here today."
The Midshipmen head back to the Eastern time zone after going 0-1-1 in its two contests in California. Prior to today's tie, Navy dropped a 2-1 decision to Cal State Northridge on Friday.
Navy returns back home to host a pair of contests next weekend. The Midshipmen take on Georgia State on Friday, September 9, for a 7 p.m. kickoff. Friday's game marks the first-ever meeting between the two programs. Two days later, Seton Hall rolls into Annapolis for a 2 p.m. match. The Midshipmen and Pirates met for the first time last season in South Orange, N.J., as Seton Hall won the contest 3-1.
