University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
James Madison University
Women's Soccer Advances to 'Sweet 16' of NCAA Tournament
11/17/2002 | Women's Soccer
Nov. 17, 2002
CHARLOTTE, N.C.- The University of Richmond registered its second-straight NCAA Tournament shutout with a 1-0 win over intra-state rival James Madison on a rain-soaked Transamerica Field. With the win, Richmond (15-5-2) advances to the third round - the 'Sweet Sixteen'- of the NCAA Tournament to face Portland (16-4-2). The #8 Pilots advanced by defeating Utah, 3-0, this afternoon.
"This was anybody's game to win," Richmond coach Peter Albright said. "This was a great game played in terrible conditions. We battled the whole game and we scored a great goal to win."
The game was scoreless at halftime as the Dukes held a 5-3 shot advantage. The Spiders would erupt for an eight shot advantage (11-3) in the decisive second half.
Richmond freshman Annette Isham (Denver, Colo.) found the back of the net off a Jenna Merriam (Voorhees, N.J.) pass for the game's only goal in the 79th minute.
"We were starting to find people wide and deep. We got a long ball to Jenna [Merriam] and she cut it back and hit a streaking Annette down the middle of the field," Albright noted about the game-winning goal. "[Isham] settled it once and drove the ball from 18 yards out into the corner."
"When you play in the mud sometimes it is a bad goal. This was a beautiful strike, from the middle. The exclamation point on the contest."
James Madison attempted to knot the game in the closing minutes with a flurry of shots and corner kicks but the Richmond defense and goalkeeper Megan Cox thwarted any Dukes chances.
"Megan Cox again played very steady, clean and did not make mistakes," Albright said of his defense. "JJ [Meredith Johnson], Anne [Rieser] and Lyndal [Hegamyer] played the game in the back and were tremendous. Hillary [Prince] behind them was equally strong.
"I have never been with a team that was so focused on one game at a time. Even now, this team is not celebrating. Yes, they are excited about where they are [going to the Sweet 16]. But, even more so, they are focused on winning the next game."
Box Score 1 2 F Richmond 0 1 1 James Madison 0 0 0
Shots: Richmond 14, James Madison 8
Corner kicks: Richmond 1, James Madison 8
Fouls: Richmond 8, James Madison 15
Goalkeeping: UR-Megan Cox, 6 saves, 0 GAA, 90:00; Jessica Hussey, 8 saves, 1 GAA, 90:00.
