Gophers Suffer 2-0 Defeat to First Place Cardinals

TOWSON, Md. — Goucher and Catholic were originally slated to face off last Wednesday at Beldon Field, but a steady rain with the threat of thunderstorms forced a postponement to this evening. Weather conditions were not much better tonight, with rain present early and gusty winds throughout, but the Landmark leading Cardinals used two early goals to overcome those circumstances and hand the Gophers a 2-0 defeat.

Kirsten Wosleger scored both goals for Catholic (11-1-2, 5-0 Landmark), which has won six straight and which is currently ranked fifth in the Mid-Atlantic region by the NSCAA. Lexi Rudolph (Kensington, Md./Our Lady of Good Counsel) tied a season-high with nine stops in goal for Goucher (3-11-1, 0-5 Landmark).

The Cardinals were held off the scoreboard in a 1-0 defeat to the Gophers at Beldon Field last season. Wosleger quickly ensured that there would be no shutout in the rematch. She sent what initially appeared to be an attempted cross into the box 11:38 into the first half. The ball, though, eluded everyone and ended up in the top left corner.

Her second goal came six minutes later. A charging Rudolph tried to control the ball as it was sent towards goal, but it was redirected straight to Wosleger, who was able to drive a shot across the line for her seventh strike of 2014.

Lindsey Puopolo (Glen Arm, Md./St. Timothy's) had two of Goucher's three shots in the first half, and she also had the team's best chance to score after the intermission, lofting a long ball which went over the head of goalkeeper Lexi Halperin but bounced off the top of the crossbar and back into play. The ball eventually landed at the feet of Jessica Leffers (Germantown, Md./Northwest), but her hard, low effort was secured by Halperin in the 65th minute.

Catholic fired 13 of its 22 shots in the second half, but Rudolph made saves on all six attempts that made it to goal to keep the game within reach up to the final whistle.

The Gophers head back on the road for their next matchup, a 3:30 p.m. tilt at Juniata this Saturday. The Eagles are currently 5-8-2, with a 1-3-1 record in Landmark contests after falling 2-0 to Susquehanna last night.