Box Score
Highlights from Home Opening Win

HOBOKEN, N.J. (September 5, 2012) – In the 2012 season home opener for the nationally ranked No.15 Stevens Institute of Technology women's soccer team, the Ducks dominated throughout all 90 minutes of play over Eastern University for a 3-0 victory. Stevens improves to 2-0 on the early season and now holds a 15-game unbeaten streak – the second longest such run in program history. From 2000 to 2001, a 17-game unbeaten streak was put together by the Ducks.

The Ducks took control of the contest after the first three minutes of action and never allowed the Eagles to challenge within the 18-yard box for the entire opening 45 minutes. Stevens took 10 shots, six on goal in the first half to none by Eastern.

Junior midfielder Bridgette Barden (Redondo Beach, Calif.) ripped the first shot of the game just wide of the target as part of her four-shot effort in the victory. Barden would net the first goal of the game at the 28:59 mark of the first half on a well played ball from sophomore forward Ann Heine (Sammamish, Wash.) and freshman back Kristen Goncalves (Dix Hills, N.Y.).

Goncalves sent a one-touch pass down the right side of the field to a streaking Heine, who then crossed the ball to Barden at the top of the box. Barden's strike tipped off the Eastern goalkeeper's hand and found the back of the net for her first tally of the season.

Just two minutes before the Barden goal, junior forward Jessie Wos (Mukwonago, Wis.) took a free kick from 20 yards out that was blocked by the Eastern defensive wall. Fellow junior back Caitlyn Labonte (Northbridge, Mass.) was trailing on the play to clean up the deflection, but a sprawling kick save by Alysia Goodman preserved a 0-0 tie.

As the second half got under way, Heine nearly staked the Ducks to a 2-0 advantage but another tremendous save by Goodman, and a heads up play by a Eastern defender to clear the ball off the end line kept the contest at 1-0.

Heine would redeem the previous shot and cash in on a through ball from senior forward Brittany Odgers (Roseland, N.J.) into the middle of the field in the 57th minute. The accurate strike from Heine between the goalkeeper's legs found the back of the net for her second goal of the year.

In the 73rd minute of play, the Ducks would tack on an insurance goal off a misplay by Goodman. A long service to Heine was challenged by Goodman outside the 18, but a muffed kick popped the ball in the air and backwards. Heine then ran under the ball and gathered her momentum to head her second tally into an open net for the final score of the contest.

With 8:29 remaining in the match, Eastern finally posted its first shot of the game and finished the contest with three shots – one on goal. The Ducks took six more shots in the second half for a total of 16 in the match.

Stevens also held a distinct advantage in corner kicks, 6-1.

In goal for the Ducks, junior Melissa Murphy (Pompton Plains, N.J.) picked up her first collegiate victory in all 90 minutes of play. Murphy was forced to make one save on a free kick in the waning minutes of the contest.

On Saturday and Sunday, Stevens will host the Ninth Annual Engineering Cup, beginning at 12 p.m. on the 8th. The Ducks will entertain Ursinus College in the opening contest and then Kean University and New York University square off at 3 p.m. The following day, Stevens will take on Kean at noon, while Ursinus and NYU wrap up the weekend with a 3 p.m. kick-off.

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