Nov. 11, 2007

Box Score

Charlotte, N.C. - Charlotte's Hailey Beam tallied a goal and assist, while Lauren Brown made eight saves, as Charlotte held off a strong Fordham rally to earn a 3-2 win in the finals of the 2007 Atlantic 10 Women's Soccer Championship on Sunday at the 49ers' Transamerica Field. It marked Charlotte's (16-4-1) first-ever A-10 women's soccer crown and as a result earned the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Vying for its first-ever A-10 title, second-seeded Fordham (10-5-5) finished runner-up for the second consecutive year.

Charlotte scored the game first three goals and then Fordham put the 49ers under a great deal of pressure after scoring the final two goals of the game.

The 49ers got on the board first when Beam headed Whitney Weinraub's cross from the left side of the field into the right side of the goal in the 11th minute. Beam's goal was her third of the season.

Charlotte added to their lead when Sara Jane Harris scored her first goal of the season when she headed Beam's cross from the right side of the field into the top middle of the goal in the 30th minute.

Charlotte made the score, 3-0, on what appeared to be an offside play, when Nikki Dumencich headed her fourth goal of the season into the back of the net off a Lindsey Ozimek cross in the 51st minute.

Fordham, who had only one shot in the first 53 minutes of the game, began to put the 49ers under a great deal of pressure.

Fordham scored their first goal when Katie Sanchez took a shot that deflected off a Charlotte defender to Michelle Ancelj. Ancelj on the left side of the box shot the ball from ten yards out toward the far post into the net for her fourth goal of the season in the 59th minute.

Then, the Rams cut Charlotte's lead in half when Katie McDermott headed in Catherine Huvane's cross in the 80th minute. McDermott's goal was her fourth goal of the season.

"That's our trademark, to just play soccer and not watch the scoreboard," Fordham coach Ness Selmani said. "I am so proud of this team because the effort in the second half was unbelievable and that's all I can ask for."

The 49ers finished the game with an 18-14 advantage in shots. Ancelj paced the Rams with six shots. While, Erica Frizzell added four shots to the Rams attack. Fordham's Sanchez and McDermott each had two shots apiece for the Rams.

Following the game, Beam was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament, while Fordham's Michelle Ancelj and Courtney Fedge were named to the All-Championship team.