Boston College Athletics
No. 8 Women's Soccer Set for ACC Tournament
October 31, 2005 | Women's Soccer
Oct. 31, 2005
Chestnut Hill, Mass. - The No. 8 women's soccer team is set to play No. 13 Duke in the Atlantic Coast Conference quarterfinals on Wednesday, Nov. 2, at 8:00 p.m., in Cary, N.C. The 11-4-2 Eagles will be seeded fifth in the tournament and will match-up against the fourth-seeded Blue Devils.
Boston College enters the post season with a 5-4-1 ACC record, while the Blue Devils stand at 6-4-0.
In their first meeting on Sept. 30, the Eagles defeated Duke, 1-0, at the Newton Campus Soccer Field behind sophomore Maddie Johnson's 51st-minute goal. Senior co-captain Lindsey McArdle had sent a perfect ball into the box off a free kick, where Johnson was waiting to head home the gamewinner. At the time the Blue Devils were ranked ninth in the country while the Eagles were ranked eighth.
Entering the postseason, the Eagles bring with them an ACC-leading 12 shutouts and a 0.69 goals against average. They have only allowed 12 goals all season. This is the second season in school history where the Eagles have shutout their opponent 12 times. They also accomplished this feat in 1999.
Offensively, the Eagles have dominated the statistics all season, out-shooting their opponents 271-149, while holding a 118-77 edge in shots on goal. They also lead in corner kicks, 89-63. Johnson, junior Molly Dane, sophomore Kia McNeill and freshman Caroline Walden are tied for the lead on the team in goals, each tallying three. Junior co-captain Jenny Maurer leads the team in assists with five. Maurer also scored the crucial gamewinner against Virginia in the Eagles' 1-0 win.
The defense has been led by McArdle and junior Laura Georges, along with junior Mary Schneck and freshman Kerri McNicholas. Georges has also been nominated for FIFA World Player of the Year, after her appearance for the French National Team in this past summer's European Women's Championship. Georges is one of 24 women's soccer players from around the globe nominated for this prestigious award. The winner will be announced on Dec. 19 in Zurich.
Wednesday's ACC tournament appearance will be the Eagles first in their inaugural season and 10th postseason tournament since 1991. In Big East post season play, the Eagles were 8-8-1. The lone tie came in the Big East championship game in 2003, with Villanova advancing on penalty kicks, 6-7.
