BOX SCORE

Center Valley, PA (September 18, 2010) – A dominating first half and a timely goal in the second half led the DeSales University women's soccer team past Drew University, 5-4, in an offensive shootout and non-conference battle on a beautiful Saturday afternoon.

The Bulldogs (5-2 overall) snap a two-game losing skid with the win and improve to 5-0 at home this season with the win. Drew falls to 3-3 overall in the loss. DSU dominated the Rangers in the first half despite each team having seven shots as the Bulldogs made the most of their opportunities in scoring four times to lead 4-1. After a halftime pep talk, Drew came out firing in the second half and out-shot DeSales, 17-8, but it was not enough as the Bulldogs scored once in the 70th minute to thwart a Ranger comeback.

Junior Melissa Millili (Deptford, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) had perhaps the best game of her career, despite allowing four goals, as she made numerous acrobatic saves in the second half and totaled 12 saves in the game, nine in the second half to keep the Bulldogs ahead on the scoreboard.

After an uneventful first 14 minutes of the game, junior Amanda Fink (Nazareth, PA/Nazareth) started a scoring barrage over the next 45 seconds with her fifth goal of the year on a feed from freshman Brady Walsh (Leesport, PA/Schuylkill Valley) at 14:02. Just 26 seconds later Walsh scored from just about 10 yards farther with a rocket into the upper right corner to give DSU a 2-0 lead. It was Walsh' seventh goal of the season.

A mere 19 seconds after that, Drew countered as Emily Weida scored on a pass thru from Kiana Lundy to cut the deficit down to one goal, 2-1, with 14:47 left to play.

Things calmed down a bit on the scoring end but only for the next six minutes when senior Jena Meaney (Staten Island, NY/St. Joseph Hill Academy) tallied her second goal of the season off a corner feed from freshman Ariel Merkt (Easton, PA/Wilson) and Meaney concluded the first-half scoring at the 39:20 mark with an unassisted goal to post the 4-1 halftime score.

Drew came out in the second half with something to prove. They got within two goals at the 55:23 mark as Weida scored again, this time from Caroline Kuras. Just over 12 minutes later in the 68th minute Liz Loiodice tallied her second goal of the year on an assist from Sara Storer to cut the deficit down to one once again but Walsh was there to answer. The freshman got control of a 50/50 ball about 40 yards out, beat a Ranger defender, and dribbled into the box, just beating a charging keeper to the ball and firing a shot past to give DSU a 5-3 lead and some much needed breathing room.

The Rangers did get within one at the 78:34 mark when Kuras scored from Allison McCord but Drew was unable to come up with the tying goal as DeSales held on for just its second career win over Drew in 13 career meetings.

DSU takes to the road this week as they travel to Alvernia University for a non-conference game on Wednesday afternoon beginning at 4:00 pm. LIVE Stats will be available for those unable to attend.