Box Score 1
HOBOKEN, N.J. (September 9, 2012) – The Stevens Institute of Technology women's soccer team suffered its first loss of the 2012 season in the Ninth Annual Stevens Engineering Cup to Kean University, 5-2, on Sunday afternoon. With the setback, Stevens' 16-game unbeaten streak is snapped, dating back to last September 20 in a 2-1 loss to Farmingdale State. All four teams in this year's Cup finished with a 1-1 record with Kean being crowned the winner with a plus-two goal differential.

Stevens' sophomore forward Ann Heine (Sammamish, Wash.) was named the Cup's Offensive Most Valuable Player after tallying two goals over the weekend, while Kean's Shannon Pedersen earned the Defensive MVP award.

The Ducks jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the 13th minute off a corner kick from sophomore midfielder Mariah Cleveland (Los Gatos, Calif.) that was headed in by fellow sophomore forward Georgia Johnson (Freehold, N.J.). Johnson's header sailed over the Kean defenders and bounced off the post for the first score of the game.

Stevens only managed to maintain its lead for 12 minutes before the Cougars netted their first score of the contest after a team save bounded back into play and junior Melissa Murphy (Pompton Plains, N.J.) was not able to stop the ensuing shot. Kean then struck two more times in the first half to push its lead out to 3-1 with just under 10 minutes to play in the first half.

The Cougars' second goal came in the 36th minute after a pass from Amanda Repko allowed Carly Seidel to speed by the Stevens defense and set up a one-on-one chance with Murphy. Not even two minutes later, Pedersen sent a ball in front of the goal off a corner attempt and Teghan Pecherski capitalized on the feed.

Stevens would have the last say on the scoreboard in the first half as the final seconds ticked off the clock before halftime. The Ducks drew a foul and a free kick opportunity from 35 yards out. Junior back Lindsay Stoll (Bellevue, Wash.) rushed to spot the ball and sent off a last-ditch effort to score with just four second left. Heine ran under the ball and was able to get off a header which crossed the goal line as time ran out in the half.

Kean kept the Ducks off the scoreboard in the second half and put two tallies up in the final 20 minutes to put the game out of reach and claim the Engineer Cup for the first time in the nine-year existence.

Stevens had won the Cup six of the previous eight years, with the other two titles going to New York University in 2008 and 2009.

Murphy was dealt the loss and made two saves in 45 minutes of play before being replaced by freshman Evelyn Ting (Gaithersburg, Md.). Ting stopped five shots in the second half and surrendered two goals. In all, Stevens recorded nine saves in the contest as two were picked up by way of team saves.

Kean outshot the Ducks, 24-16, while the corners were at a 7-7 deadlock.

In the other match today, Ursinus College defeated NYU, 4-3, which forced the four-way tie. Ursinus wasted no time getting on the board, as the Bears scored just 45 seconds into the game. The Bears then netted another tally 10 minutes later before NYU picked up its first marker in the 23rd minute.

Ursinus answered right back three minutes later and went into the half with a 3-1 advantage. In the second 45-minute stanza, the Bears picked up right where they left off and built a 4-1 lead in the 54th minute. The Violets refused to go down easily and scored twice more by the time the 78th minute got under way. NYU put two more shots on goal after bringing the match to a one-goal difference but both attempts were turned away by the Ursinus goalkeeper.

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