WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – A trio of shots in the 98th minute ended with a low line drive goal off the boot of junior midfielder Kristen McAdams, lifting the University of Hartford women's soccer team to a 1-0 shutout of the New Hampshire Wildcats on Sunday afternoon. The goal for McAdams was her first of the season and allows the Hawk to remain unbeaten in conference play at 4-0-0.
Hartford (8-2-3 overall) finished the afternoon game with an 18-17 shot advantage, nine of which came from senior Chanel Johnson. Five of the Hawks 18 shots were marked on goal, three from Johnson and a pair from McAdams, the second of which resulted in her first collegiate goal.
Sophomore keeper Jessica Jurg finished the game with seven saves, tying her career-high set last season as a freshman. The 1-0 victory for Jurg is her third shutout of the season, all of which have come against America East opponents. For the year, Jurg has not lost a game in her six starts this season, currently 6-0-0 overall.
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
· Hartford broke a scoreless draw with just under three minutes remaining in the first overtime period when junior midfielder Kristen McAdams buried a rebound attempt in the lower left corner of the goal for her first collegiate score. McAdams' shot was the third in a series of attempts that all came following a corner kick served in by junior Sidney Spremullo. The first two shots in the sequence were a header from Caitlin Smallfield and one from Chanel Johnson.
· Hartford finished the game with an 18-17 advantage in shots, including an 11-3 lead in that category in the second 45 minute period. Overall, Johnson led Hartford with nine shots, three of which were marked on goal. As a team, Hartford finished with five shots on goal, the other two coming from McAdams.
· Johnson provided the first three scoring attempts for Hartford, the first of which at the end of the seventh minute was a long diagonal shot that UNH keeper Mimi Borkan collected for her first save. The third of those shots came with 20 minutes remaining as she had a clear look at the goal, firing a shot that trickled just to the left of the goal.
· Jurg thwarted an attempt in the 29th minute when Kirsten O'Neill tried a header attempt off of a corner kick that the Hawks sophomore keeper punched up and over the cross bar, outstretched and leaping to her right.
· UNH had another opportunity with just under 10 minutes remaining with a trio of scoring opportunities. The second of those came in the 35th minute by Brooke Murphy with her hard blast ricocheting off the post and out of trouble.
· The Hawks final attempt in the opening half came in the 38th minute on a free kick from Sidney Spremullo. That attempt was a low line drive to the left side, eluding the UNH wall but going over the end line a few feet outside the left upright.
· McAdams provided Hartford's first attempt in the second half when she dribbled forward in a 1 on 5 situation, firing a diagonal shot form 22 yards out which ended in a basket catch for Borkan.
· Late in the 66th minute, the Hawks looked to strike on a corner kick which after being served in by Spremullo found Johnson's head on the opposite side of the box with Borkan controlling the attempts.
· Early in the overtime period, the Wildcats tested Hartford with a pair of shots, the first of which forced Jurg into action, while the second shot, which came from Caroline Murray, deflected off the cross bar to a Hawk defender ending the threat.
GOALS RUNDOWN
· Junior midfielder Kristen McAdams sailed her first goal of the season to the lower left corner, firing a shot through traffic eight minutes into overtime to give the Hawks their third 1-0 shutout in league play. The play began over 30 seconds earlier when sophomore Aaliyah Ingram driving a shot on target that was deflected out of bounds by a New Hampshire defender setting up a corner kick opportunity. After Sidney Spremullo served in the Hawks sixth corner kick a scramble ensued with two shots attempted before McAdams scoring drive. The first shot was a header attempt from Caitlin Smallfield which was blocked while an attempt off the boot of Chanel Johnson was also blocked with the rebound finding the feet of McAdams who drove in a low line drive through four defenders that eluded a diving UNH keeper.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
· The Hawks finished the game with an 18-17 advantage in shots, the 11th time in 12 games that Hartford has outshot its opponent. Included in Hartford's 18 shots were five that were registered on goal, three of which came from Johnson and two from McAdams.
· Hartford opens league play with a perfect 4-0 record for the first time since the 2012 season when they began the conference regular season winning their first five matches. The Hawks closed out that season making their 10th appearance in the America East title game.
· The overtime victory is the first of the season for Hartford who has now played in five overtime contests. Overall for the season, the Hawks are 1-1-3 in games requiring more than 90 minutes.
· The seven saves for sophomore keeper Jurg ties her career-high set last season against Binghamton. She finished with four saves in the opening half, two in the second half and added a crucial save early in the overtime period.
· In six starts in 2014, Jurg has not lost or had a game end in a draw, currently sporting a 6-0-0 record. Three of the six game have been shutouts, all 1-0 decisions over league opponents.
TWEETABLES (140 characters or less)
· Hartford remains undefeated in @AmericaEast action, shutting out their third league opponent New Hampshire 1-0 in OT.
· Junior midfielder Kristen McAdams scored her first collegiate goal in the 98th minute, a third attempt of the Hawks sixth corner kick.
· The Hawks finished their 11th, of 13, game outshooting an opponent with 18-17 advantage, led by Chanel Johnson (@Chanel5Johnson) with 9
UP NEXT
The Hawks continue a two-game road stretch with a stop in Orono, Maine for a meeting under the lights on the Black Bears Mahaney Baseball Diamond. Hartford and Maine are scheduled for a 7 p.m. opening kickoff on Thursday, October 16.
