@CanesFutbol Comes up Just Short at U of L
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of Miami soccer team dominated the run of play at Louisville Thursday night, but dropped a 1-0 decision to the Cardinals at Lynn Stadium.
The Hurricanes ended the match with an 18-7 edge in shot attempts, including 9-4 in shots on goal, and an 11-4 advantage in corner kicks, but Louisville’s 26th minute tally proved to be enough.
“To have 18 shots and 11 corners on the road, we need to be able to put the ball in the back of the net,” Miami head coach Mary-Frances Monroe said. “It’s a team where we scouted that they like to shoot from distance and that’s how they scored their goal and we just didn’t have the grit to get in front of it. I think it’s a positive moving forward the amount of chance that we had and we just need to be able to [finish].”
Miami redshirt freshman goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce came up big in the second minute when she came off her line in a one-one-one situation, dove right and snared the ball away to prevent even a shot.
The Hurricanes had a great opportunity in the 10th minute when senior midfielder/defender Natalie Moik drove a strong free kick towards the side of the net from about 25 yards out. Louisville (4-4-1, 1-1-0 ACC) junior goalkeeper Taylor Bucklin made the save though, diving to her right to knock it away.
The Cardinals, as aforementioned, struck for the lone goal of the match against the run of play in the 26th minute. Sophomore forward Allison Price received a pass just outside the box from redshirt senior forward Casey Whitfield and sent a bending strike past a diving Tullis-Joyce.
Early in the second half, Tullis-Joyce again made her presence felt in the on a breakaway opportunity in the 48th minute. The Shoreham, N.Y. native reached up to block and then grab a shot attempt by Louisville sophomore forward Isabella Habuda, who was a step in front of the Miami back line.
In minute 64, junior midfielder/defender Gianna Dal Pozzo had another stellar opportunity for the Hurricanes. A corner kick ended up at the feet of redshirt senior midfielder Erin McGovern and she played it on to Dal Pozzo, who turned and shot from about 10 yards out on the left side of the box, but her effort went just high.
Sophomore forward Ronnie Johnson had a pair of chances in a row, the first in the 75th minute and the second in the 76th. The first was a shot from left side of the box on which Bucklin made a fantastic diving stop and the second on a breakaway after a through ball where Bucklin came off her line to block the shot from close range.
Miami had its final scoring threat in the 88th minute on a free kick from about 21 yards out by sophomore forward/midfielder Grace Rapp, but Bucklin again made the play, diving to her right to grab the attempt.
Despite the Hurricanes’ furious offensive attack throughout the match, Louisville held on for a 1-0 victory behind eight saves from Bucklin.
“I think that we were not prepared or ready to play the first half when that first whistle blew,” Monroe said. “At halftime we talked to the team about having a sense of urgency and clearly we came out in the second half and were the Miami team that we’re used to having, but we started a little bit too late. Very disappointed in the loss, we should have won that game.”
Miami returns to the field Sunday at 1:00 p.m. at home in Coral Gables, Fla. when it hosts No. 7/5 Clemson (7-1-1, 1-1-0 ACC) at Cobb Stadium in what will also be Jill Ellis Celebration Game.
To keep up with the Hurricanes throughout the 2015 season, follow @CanesFutbol.
