April 22. 2004

BOX SCORE

FARMVILLE, Va. – Longwood University senior Tia Richardson/Ellicott City, Md. (Centennial) scored the game-winning goal 53 seconds into sudden-death overtime to rally the Lancers past NCAA Division I Virginia Tech 15-14, Thursday afternoon at Lancer Field.  Longwood wraps up its 2004 campaign with a 14-1 record, including a 7-1 mark against Division I competition, while the Hokies drop to 7-8 overall. 

Against Virginia Tech, the visiting squad jumped out to an early 2-0 advantage after netting back-to-back goals at the 27:19 and 27:06 marks from Britt Faulkner and Kelsey Mays, respectively.  Richardson quickly answered with the first of her three goals in the match 20 seconds later (26:46) to put the Lancers on the board and within one goal of the Hokies.  Virginia Tech, however, followed with two more goals to go ahead 4-1, before junior Emily Bikowski/Fairfax (Bishop O’Connell) scored unassisted with 20:56 left, trimming the deficit to just two goals.  Virginia Tech then took control of the session, outscoring Longwood 4-2 to enter the intermission with a 9-4 advantage and its largest lead of the half.

The visiting Hokies opened the second half just as they ended the first, scoring two more goals, stretching their lead to seven goals.  Senior Kristy Taylor/Lorton (Bishop Ireton) responded, scoring one of Longwood’s three free-position goals in the match at 20:35.  Tech followed with what proved to be its final goal in the period, as Faulkner scored unassisted 16-seconds later (20:19), giving the visiting team its largest lead of the game (12-5).  The Lancers then held the Hokies scoreless and scored seven unanswered goals to tie the match (12-12), sending the game into overtime for the first time this season. 

Seven different Lancers netted goals during the scoring spree, including junior Leanne Kibler/Oakton (Oakton) from Taylor (19:16), freshman Jenn Shipp/Charlottesville (Albemarle) from junior Shawn Slotke/Baltimore, Md. (Roland Park) (15:36), senior Carlee Ullery/Keswick (Albemarle) from Bikowski (11:46), Richardson on a free position (6:42), sophomore Ali Shafer/Fairfax (Fairfax) from Kibler (3:47), Bikowski from junior Isa Cohen/Mineral (Fairfax) (1:57), and Cohen unassisted (1:06) to force OT. 

With the game tied 12-12 entering the first overtime, Tech took the initiative and put the first goal on the board 25-seconds into the session, as Stephanie Jones scored on a pass from Lindsey Welch.  Bikowski followed at 2:24, keeping the game tied at 13-13, before Faulkner scored her game-high sixth goal of the match at 1:44.  Longwood, playing with a sense of urgency, got another goal from Bikowski, her fourth in the match, with nine-seconds remaining, tying the game for the third time at 14-14 while sending the game into sudden-death play. 

Fifty-three seconds into sudden death, Richardson found the back of the net off a pass from Bikowski, completing her second hat-trick of the season and giving the Lancers the hard fought 15-14 home triumph.

Bikowski paced the Lancers during the match with a team-best six points on four goals and two assists, while Taylor finished with five points on two goals and three assists.  Richardson closed out the contest with three goals and Cohen had three points on two goals and an assist.

Senior goalie Stacey Schmidt/Berlin, N.J. (Eastern Regional) recorded 39:39 minutes played, while making 11 stops in front of the net.  Sophomore keeper Emily Wilson/Owings, Md. (Northern) posted 27:12 with seven saves, including several key stops down the stretch that enables the Lancers to come-from-behind for the victory.