Mustangs Finish Regular Season With Ninth-Straight Win
OWINGS MILLS, Md. - Stevenson women's soccer sophomore Stephanie Eyler (Thurmont/Catoctin) posted her fifth multi-goal game of the season, scoring two goals, including the game-winner, as the Mustangs finished the regular season with a 3-2 victory over Goucher in a non-conference contest Tuesday at Caves Athletics Complex.
The 2009 CAC regular season co-champions, Stevenson (13-3-1) finished with a school record nine consecutive victories and 13 wins, two shy of the school record set by the 2006 team which advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship.
The Mustangs also moved up to No. 8 in the NSCAA South Atlantic Region rankings on Tuesday, marking the team's highest-ever ranking. The new NCAA regional rankings will be released on Wednesday. Stevenson was not ranked a week ago prior to knocking off York (Pa.) who was ranked seventh.
Eyler, who was named CAC Player of the Week on Monday and ECAC Division III South Offensive Player of the Week on Tuesday, has totaled 12 of her CAC-leading 17 goals over the last seven games, scoring at least one goal in each and two or more in four. She has now scored at least one point in 10-straight games and in all but one this season.
The 2008 CAC Rookie of the Year, Eyler started the scoring just 5:25 into the game when she scored off an assist from junior Heather Redding (Street/North Harford). Redding then followed with her seventh of the year in the 21st minute on a pass from freshman Melinda Kane (Baltimore/Mercy).
All seven of Redding's goals have come in the last eight games while Kane has totaled at least one point in 10 of the team's 17 games this season, a team-high.
Goucher (3-12-1), who has lost five-straight and is winless in its last last seven, got on the board with 3:04 remaining in the opening half when Shay Kettner scored after a Mustang turnover on a clear attempt.
Eyler scored the eventual game-winner, her fifth of the season, in the 58th minute on a feed from junior Allison Humphries (Bel Air/John Carroll).
Kettner would put a scare into Stevenson with just 1:15 left in regulation when she scored off a free kick from about 35 yards out to pull the Gophers within one on just their fifth shot of the game.
The Mustangs held a 24-5 edge in shots and a 7-0 margin in corner kicks. Sophomore Brittany Ross (Millersville/Severna Park) made her team-leading ninth start of the season and picked up her fifth win in 66-plus minutes while freshman Lauren Weitzman (Westminster/Winters Mill) made her 14th appearance, totaling one save in 24 minutes.
Kellen Matthews had 11 saves for the Gophers and now has 445 for her career, setting a new Goucher all-time record.
Stevenson earned a bye in the first round of the CAC Women's Soccer Championship and will host either York (Pa.) or Wesley in the semifinals next Wednesday. Game time has yet to be determined.
