Top-Seeded Rangers Turn Back Gophers, 13-9

Top-Seeded Rangers Turn Back Gophers, 13-9

Foster Keeps Goucher in Game with 20-Save Performance

April 29, 2009

MADISON, N.J. – Thanks in large part to a 20-save performance out of senior goalkeeper Brittany Foster (Portland, Maine/Portland), Goucher stayed within striking distance of top-seeded Drew today in the semifinals of the 2009 Landmark Conference championship tournament until the very end.

In fact, after Mary Lambert (Chapel Hill, N.C./Chapel Hill) tallied back-to-back goals 1:07 apart midway through the second half and then the Gophers scored off a free-position shot by Jenny Lucey (Newbury, N.H./Kimball Union Academy) with 8:40 remaining, what had been a 12-6 deficit had been narrowed to 12-9.

But the Rangers wouldn't allow head coach Katie Trainor's squad to get any closer. Instead, they built their lead back up to four goals when Lyndsay Rossi scored with 7:42 left to play and when neither team was able to score the rest of the way, Drew had secured a spot in the championship game with a 13-9 victory.

The Rangers (10-7) assumed their biggest lead of the first half with 2:26 remaining in the period when a goal by Brook Connell made the score 8-4. An unassisted goal by Colleen Cole (Holliston, MA/Northfield Mt. Hebron School) with 1:13 showing on the clock reduced Drew's advantage to 8-5 at halftime.

Before Cole tallied Goucher's first goal of the second half, the Rangers were able to extend their lead to 10-5 with a pair of goals by Stacie Brown.

Foster made 12 of her 20 saves during the second half when the Gophers (7-8) were being outshot 18-10.