Oct. 1, 2006

Box Score

VILLANOVA, Pa. - The Wildcats defense was in trademark form on Sunday afternoon but the offense came up empty for the first time this season as Villanova (11-0-2, 3-0-2 Big East) played to a scoreless tie against Providence (3-3-5, 0-3-2 BE) at the West Campus Soccer Complex.

Both teams had chances to end the game in the two extra periods but the draw seemed inevitable after a Wildcat goal with 1:35 left in the second overtime was negated by an offside call. Junior Kaley Guthrie (Ogdensburg, N.J.) set up a play and the ball was knocked into the right corner of the net in a scramble, but Villanova was offside on the play.

The Wildcats outshot the Friars 22-11 for the game, including a 15-7 edge after halftime. Villanova took four shots in the overtime periods and generated three of its eight corner kicks after regulation. However, Providence goalkeeper Laura Elfers registered three of her eight saves in the game in overtime to preserve the game for the Friars.

The defensive effort for the Wildcats was just as good, with junior goalkeeper Jillian Loyden (Vineland, N.J.) making six saves to tie a career-high with her eighth shutout of the season. Loyden made four of her saves after halftime to keep Providence at bay in a tensely played game in front of a season-high crowd of 723 fans on campus.

The back four defenders for Villanova limited the Friars to three corner kicks and just the six shots on goal to post the team's 11th shutout in 13 games on the season. Sophomore Laura Sylvester (Broomall, Pa.) and freshman Kelly Eagan (St. James, N.Y.) each made key plays in the game that prevented Providence from getting on the board.

The Friars had a series of offensive chances early in the second half after a foul was called on the Wildcats in the attacking third. A free kick by Providence deflected off a wall of Villanova defenders and generated consecutive corner kicks on the right side. The second corner was intercepted by Loyden, however, and the Wildcats cleared the possession.

Villanova outshot the Friars 7-4 in a scoreless first half and went into the intermission without a goal for just the fourth time this season. Elfers had three saves in the opening period.

After playing nine of its first 13 games at home, Villanova will now be on the road for four straight games over the next two weeks. Next weekend the Wildcats will play at Louisville on Friday at 7 p.m. and then travel to Cincinnati for a 12:30 p.m. game on Sunday.