Hurricanes' Season Comes to an End at Virginia
Nov. 1, 2009
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The University of Miami women’s soccer team (8-10-1, 3-6-1) played its final game of the 2009 season, falling to the host University of Virginia Cavaliers (9-5-4, 4-4-2) by a 2-0 score at Klockner Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Virginia scored both of its goals in the final period, in the 54th minute and another in the 81st – off the feet of Lauren Alwine and Kika Toulouse respectively. The Cavaliers held the Hurricanes to only two shots on goal.
Five seniors played in their final collegiate match for Miami – Paulelett Ricks-Chambers, Danielle Griebel, Courtney Alexander and captains Jessica Wyble and Beverly Goebel. Both Goebel and Griebel recorded shots in the game.
“I am disappointed for the seniors to end the season this way,” said head coach Tricia Taliaferro. “They have helped build this program into one of national prominence.”
The Hurricanes advanced to the NCAA Tournament in both 2007 and 2008 – this year they played one of the toughest schedules in the nation, defeating two top-10 teams. One of those wins came over the second-ranked University of North Carolina, just one week ago. The Tar Heels were the highest ranked team that Miami had beaten in program history.
“I do not believe that our overall record reflects on what we have accomplished this season,” added Taliaferro. “We played the third strongest schedule in the country. Our expectations are very high at Miami and the things we learned this year will help us in reaching our goal of winning a national championship. Our mentality will always be to play the best teams in the country and we will continue to schedule the best.”
The season also saw sophomore goalkeeper Vikki Alonzo record six shutouts, tied with Lauren McAdam for the second-most in school history. That added with the 11 that Alonzo had in 2008 give her a school record 17 for her career.
Also, with a team-high four goals for the season, junior Brittney Steinbruch now sits just one goal shy of tying Britney Butcher for the most in a career with 29.
In the season-opening game against No. 8 Florida, the Hurricanes welcomed a record smashing crowd of 2,277 to Cobb Stadium. The average home attendance was 625, nearly 300 more than in 2008.
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