Wildcats Conclude Regular Season Play, Qualify For MAAC Tournament :: Villanova will play in conference tournament for fifth straight season

April 23, 2007

VILLANOVA, Pa. - Over the past weekend Villanova (12-12, 4-6 MAAC) played its final four matches of the regular season, going 1-3 in events played at Iona College on Saturday and St. Francis (N.Y.) on Sunday. The Wildcats have clinched a spot in the four-team MAAC Tournament next weekend and will be the No. 4 seed in the conference tournament. Below is a breakdown of each of the four final regular season matches played this past weekend.

Saturday, April 21 (at Iona College)

Marist 11, Villanova 1
Junior utility Meredith Klipa (Grand Rapids, Mich.) scored the lone goal for the Wildcats, who were beaten by first-place and conference undefeated Marist. Villanova gave up a shot advantage of only 20-17 to the Red Foxes, who scored on more than half of their shots. Klipa also had a team-high five steals in the game.

Wagner 8, Villanova 5
Villanova led 3-2 at the end of the first quarter but did not score again until the fourth period. Wagner scored twice in the second quarter and three times in the third to take a 7-3 lead into the final frame. Junior driver Carla Martinez (Caguas, Puerto Rico) had two goals for the Wildcats and junior defender Christina Dopp (Stockton, Calif.) chipped in with two assists.

Sunday, April 22 (at St. Francis)

Villanova 5, St. Francis 4
Senior driver Brynn Rooney (Downers Grove, Ill.) drew a season-high six ejections and senior Nicole Sherry (Poway, Calif.) scored two goals while registering two steals and a drawn ejection. Martinez added a goal and two assists for the Wildcats, who rolled to a 23-11 shot advantage over the Terriers. Junior goalie Erin Foley (Chicago, Ill.) recorded four saves in posting her 11th win of the season.

Iona 8, Villanova 3
After the teams combined for just three goals in the first half - with Villanova holding a 2-1 advantage - Iona scored seven times in the second half to go on to an 8-3 victory. Junior Julie Ramaley (Old Greenwich, Conn.) and seniors Rooney and Danielle Hanson (Winter Springs, Fla.) each scored on goal for the Wildcats, while Foley had four saves in goal. Villanova held a 22-19 edge in shots for the contest.