Whitney Shean scored two goals and Diana Nelson made 10 saves in goal as Northeastern took a 4-2 loss to two-time defending national champ and third-ranked Wake Forest on Sunday at Harvard's Jordan Field in Allston. The Huskies were eliminated from the NCAA Tournament and Wake Forest advanced to the semifinal.
"We knew Wake would be a great team to play today and we knew we needed to step it up, but we couldn't get to the next level," said Husky head coach Cheryl Murtagh. "I'm proud of the way the team has come out in every game and every practice this year. They've been awesome and the four seniors [Alli Bolster, Mari Creatini, Liane Dixon and Nelson] have really led the way."
The Huskies finished the season 18-4 for an .818 winning-percentage, the second-best in the history of the program. Wake Forest improved to 18-3.
With NU down 4-1, Shean scored her second goal of the game with 11:47 remaining to get the Huskies within two goals. On a Husky penalty corner, Mari Creatini faked a shot and passed to Lauren Edelmeier, who passed it to Shean on the left side. Shean beat Demon Deacon goalie Kristina Gagliardi for the score.
Wake Forest started the game off, taking a quick 1-0 lead when Kelly Dostal netted a deceptive backhander from the top of the circle at 1:47.
The Huskies fired right back, tying it less than a minute later. Bolster fired a pass to Shean on the left side and Shean potted the goal to make it 1-1 at 2:33.
Wake notched the two deciding goals before halftime, when Ariel Meyers and Tamar Meijer scored. The Demon Deacons took a 3-1 lead into halftime. Wake Forest took a 4-1 lead at 38:56 when Meijer scored her second goal of the game on Nelson's left side.
Nelson had spectacular saves in the final minutes to keep the Huskies in the game. She also had key saves on two consecutive penalty corners with 27 minutes remaining to keep it close. NU got great defense from Lauren Edelmeier, Bolster and Sarah Eckhoff on the Demon Deacon penalty corners.
Wake Forest outshot NU, 27-5, and led in penalty corners, 10-4.
The Huskies won their fourth-straight America East title and 10th overall with a 2-1 victory over Boston University Nov. 7. Northeastern beat UConn, 2-1, in overtime on Saturday to advance to Sunday's second round game.
"I think [the season] went pretty well," said Dixon. "We won the America East Championship. A lot of people had strong feelings about us doing that and we overcame it."
"I came in as a freshman and we didn't even make the America East Tournament," said Nelson. "The past four years we won the America East Championship, and it's a five years I'll never forget."
Northeastern (18-4) vs. Goals by period 1 2 Tot
Wake Forest (18-3) -------------------------------
Date: Nov 14, 2004 Attendance: 315 Northeastern........ 1 1 - 2
Weather: Wake Forest......... 3 1 - 4
Northeastern Wake Forest
Pos # Player Sh SOG G A DS Pos # Player Sh SOG G A DS
--------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------
GK 77 Diana Nelson........ - - - - - GK 15 Gagliardi, Kristina. - - - - -
4 Liane Dixon......... - - - - - 3 Harshman, Kristi.... 1 - - - -
5 Ashley Webber....... - - - - - 5 Whitten, Jamie...... - - - - -
9 Mari Creatini....... 2 1 - - - 6 Dostal, Kelly....... 8 4 1 - -
10 Sarah Eckhoff....... - - - - - 9 Wood, Kelly......... 1 - - - -
14 Natalie Singelais... - - - - - 10 Crandall, Lauren.... 2 2 - 2 -
17 Ashley D'Ambra...... - - - - - 13 Boreel, Maeke....... 1 1 - 1 -
19 Jay Quinn........... 1 1 - - - 14 Maijer, Tamar....... 4 2 2 - -
20 Alli Bolster........ - - - 1 - 16 Lawhon, Claire...... 4 2 - - -
22 Lauren Edelmeier.... - - - 1 - 17 Meyers, Ariel....... 1 1 1 - -
24 Whitney Shean....... 2 2 2 - - 21 Laubach, Claire..... 1 1 - - -
---------- Substitutes ---------- ---------- Substitutes ----------
11 Michaela O'Malley... - - - - - 8 Scott, Haley........ 2 1 - 1 -
Totals.............. 5 4 2 2 0 12 Scott, Tracey....... 2 - - - -
Totals.............. 27 14 4 4 0
Northeastern Wake Forest
# Player MIN GA Saves # Player MIN GA Saves
--------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------
77 Diana Nelson........ 70:00 4 10 15 Gagliardi, Kristina. 70:00 2 2
Shots by period 1 2 Tot Saves by period 1 2 Tot
------------------------------- -------------------------------
Northeastern........ 2 3 - 5 Northeastern........ 1 9 - 10
Wake Forest......... 12 15 - 27 Wake Forest......... 1 1 - 2
Penalty corners 1 2 Tot
-------------------------------
Northeastern........ 2 2 - 4
Wake Forest......... 5 5 - 10
SCORING SUMMARY:
GOAL Time Team Goal Scorer Assists
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. 1:45 WAKE Dostal, Kelly (29) Boreel, Maeke
2. 2:28 NU Whitney Shean 25
3. 20:54 WAKE Meyers, Ariel Crandall, Lauren
4. 25:04 WAKE Maijer, Tamar Scott, Haley
5. 38:53 WAKE Maijer, Tamar Crandall, Lauren
6. 58:23 NU Whitney Shean Lauren Edelmeier
PLAYER CARDS:
GC-WAKE #14 (40:13); GC-NU #5 (49:21)
