HOBOKEN, N.J. (September 18, 2007) – Junior midfielder Audra Clark registered a hat trick in leading the Stevens Institute of Technology women's soccer team to its third-straight victory with a 3-2 win over Wilkes University on Tuesday evening at the De Baun Athletic Complex in Hoboken, N.J. In the process, the Ducks (5-1-1) extended the nation's longest active home winning streak in Division III to 32 consecutive games.
Clark opened the scoring in the third minute of the contest when she connected on a header off a corner kick from senior back/forward Sara Roeder. Just under 10 minutes later, Clark picked up her second goal of the game as she headed home a rebound after junior back Salme Cook hit the crossbar following a corner kick.
Clark added her third score of the contest in the 19th minute as she took advantage of a miscue by Wilkes junior goalkeeper Jessica Berkey (Johnstown, Pa.). On the play, Cook sent a ball into the box following a free kick near midfield. Berkey was unable to handle the ball cleanly, and Clark touched the ball into the vacated net to give the Ducks a 3-0 lead.
The Lady Colonels (3-4) got on the board with 35:21 gone by in the first half as senior back Bethany Head (Worcester, N.Y.) deflected home a pass into the box off a free kick from the left wing by senior forward Georgina Robinson (Kreamer, Pa.). Robinson cut the deficit to 3-2 as she scored on a penalty kick with just under 23 minutes remaining in the second half.
Sophomore goalkeeper Sherri Rosenberg made two saves in picking up her fifth win of the season. Berkey made two stops for the Lady Colonels. Senior goalkeeper Liz Pauly (Medford Lakes, N.J.) played the final 67 minutes in net and made four saves for Wilkes.
For the game, Stevens owned a 22-9 advantage in shots. The Lady Colonels had three corner kicks to just two by the Ducks, who scored off both of their opportunities.
Stevens will be back in action on Saturday when it takes on Ithaca College at noon in Ithaca, N.Y. The Ducks, who are in their first year in the Empire 8 following seven years in the Skyline Conference, have won 50 straight games against league opponents. The Bombers own a 26-game win streak in Empire 8 play.
