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No. 10 Penn Quakers Cage No. 18 NYU Bobcats 7-2 in National Collegiate Club First Round
DAVIS, Calif. -- Sheena Curtin (Gr., West Jordan, Utah) and Deidre Sandrock (Gr., West Lawn, Pa.) both netted pairs of goals as No. 10-nationally ranked Quakers of the University of Pennsylvania handled No. 18 New York University 7-2 in pouring rain and the opening round of the 2009 Women's National Collegiate Club Championship on the campus of UC-Davis.
The game was closer than the final score makes it appear as NYU jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first period and only trailed 3-2 at the end of the third period before a four goal Quakers' explosion in the fourth sealed Penn's victory.
NYU struck first in the game as Meredith Lewis (Gr., Brockport, N.Y.) buried an exclusion chance with 3:20 left in the first period to put the Bobcats in front 1-0.
The lead held up until the 3:37 mark of the second period when Curtin finished a pass on an advantage opportunity to knot the game at 1-1 prior to halftime.
Following intermission, the Bobcats regained the lead as Aysa Roberts (So., Yardley, Pa.) whipped in a shot from the perimeter for another go-ahead goal on an even-strength drive to the cage for NYU at the 3:46 mark. However, the Quakers went to war as Soleil Roberts (Gr., Yardley, Pa.) and Curtin scored with 1:20 and 13 seconds left to tie the game and put Penn ahead 3-2 following 21 minutes of play.
Penn continued its onslaught throughout the fourth period as Sandrock netted her pair of markers at 3:18 and 2:38 with a lobshot and a lobshot following a breakaway to build the lead to 5-2 before Natasa Kordic (Jr., Sacramento, Calif.) tallied her lone goal of the game at 2:20 to make it 6-2. Winnie Eastwood (Gr., Carlsbad, Calif.) closed out the scoring with 47 seconds left in regulation with a successful five-meter penalty shot for the 7-2 final score.
In cage, Elizabeth Lawrence (Jr., Menands, N.Y.) picked up the win for the Navy and Red with five saves, while Lauren Reilly (So., Huntington Beach, Calif.) wrestled down 10 shots for NYU.
The Quakers will continue the tournament on Saturday, May 2 at 10:10 a.m. in a second round game versus No. 8 University of Arizona, an 8-5 victor over No. 17 Boston College in the first round. NYU will be back in action tonight (Friday, May 1) against B.C. with the winner of the consolation bracket game guaranteed a finish of no worse than 11th in the tournament field.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final |
| No. 18 New York University | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| No. 10 University of Pennsylvania | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 |
Penn Goals: Sheena Curtin (2); Deidre Sandrock
(2); Winnie Eastwood; Natasa Kordic; Soleil Roberts
NYU Goals: Meredith Lewis; Aysa Roberts
Saves: Penn - Elizabeth Lawrence (5) ; NYU - Lauren Reilly (10)
Ejections: Penn - 6 ; NYU - 12
Sprints: Penn - 1 (Winnie Eastwood - 4th) ; NYU - 2 (Aysa Roberts - 1st & 2nd)
