Women's soccer defeats UNH in double overtime

09/10/08 - After tying the game at 1-1, the lady University of Rhode Island soccer players took their first victory of the season in double overtime Sunday at the University of New Hampshire, 2-1."We earned the win on Sunday," head coach Zac Shaw said. "It was a difficult game. They showed a great fighting spirit and a willingness to work hard. Getting the win in overtime was really cool."

In the 106th minute of the game in the second overtime, senior captain Sarah Helldoerfer scored her first goal of the season to take the 2-1 win. Helldoerfer was set up by freshman Agnes Arnadottir.

"For Helldoerfer to get it [the winning goal] was really nice," said Shaw. "It was just pure effort to make that happen. I'm really happy for her to get that goal."

The Wildcats drew first blood scoring a goal in the 50th minute in the second half to take the 1-0 lead. The Rams finally scored the equalizer at the 86:15 mark. Before that time, the Rams struggled scoring during a 10-minute period when they had ample opportunities. Both freshman Erese Fair and sophomore Adrienne Ruhe Lischke both took shots on goal but hit the crossbar.

Ruhe Lischke converted a turnover by UNH and drove the ball into the far right corner of the opposing net.

"Adrianne scored a flying goal," Shaw said. "She's terrific and continues to develop into the player I thought she could be."

Ruhe Lischke is from Canada and played on the Canadian National team. Shaw said that he recruited her and that she was a huge influence in the New Hampshire game.

The strategy of the lady Rams was to try not to adjust to the other team but make that team adjust to them, Shaw said.

"Late in the game, we moved Agnes [Arnadottir] from center back and pushed her to forward," Shaw said.

The team's goal was to get as many players as close to the goal as possible, he said.

URI outshot New Hampshire 25-21. The Wildcats had 12 shots on goal to the Rams' 10. Rhody goalkeeper sophomore Jackie Fede saved 11 shots.

"We have so many young players, that our focus is on getting better each game," Shaw said. "We have one senior currently. We are a work in progress."

Like many URI teams this year, women's soccer is rebuilding with new recruits. Last year the Rams scored 37 goals in 20 games. Most of those players are not there anymore Shaw said but that it's exciting to watch different people take responsibility.

"We did a good job defending and attacking," Shaw said. "We forced the team to do what we wanted [them to do]."

This season, the team wants to continue to be one of the top teams in New England, Shaw said. They also have the same goals of making the Atlantic 10 Championships and continue on to the NCAAs.

In order to achieve these goals the Rams need to continue to be dangerous and translate goals into wins, Shaw said.

URI will play at Purdue Univeristy on Friday.

Shaw said that his team just needs to do as well as it can and if it does that, "they will have a chance to make everyone proud here.