Indiana University Athletics
Five Hoosiers Help Carmel to National Runners-Up Finish
8/6/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Aug. 6, 2006
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Five current or former Indiana women's soccer players were among the Carmel United Soccer Club U-23 team that came up minutes short in the USASA (United States Adult Soccer Association) National Championship, as Real Colorado defended its 2005 national championship with a 3-2 overtime victory over Carmel on Sunday, Aug. 6, at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas.
Real Colorado scored a pair of goals in the closing minutes of the second overtime after Carmel had gained a 2-1 lead in the first overtime. IU goalkeeper Megan Reinhardt played the entire contest in net for the Cobras, while senior Ali Brown helped set up the Cobras' overtime goal. IU juniors Suzie Teixeira and Katy Stewart and former goalkeeper Lauren Fabbro also played key roles for Carmel in its march toward the national finals.
Louisville forward Jamie Craft netted a goal in the closing minutes of the first overtime to put Carmel up 2-1. Brown pushed the ball ahead to IUPUI's Stacy Downing, who found Craft in deep. Craft deposited the ball into the goal to give the Cobras the lead.
Carmel jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the 34th minute, when Purdue junior Jill Sarbaugh broke the scoring after getting behind the defense. Real Colorado struck right back, though, with Wake Forest senior Kristen Kemp blasting a shot from long range that found its way past Reinhardt.
The two teams battled back-and-forth in the opening minutes of the second half, with each team unable to mount much in terms of opportunities. Carmel had a number of corner kicks in the second frame, but Real's defense was able to parry each opportunity. The score remained tied through regulation and the two teams went into overtime knotted at 1-1.
The Cobras defeated the Pennsylvania Bucks on Friday, Aug. 4, with three second-half goals in a come-from-behind 3-2 victory to earn a spot in the national finals. Carmel defeated teams from Illinois (3-1) and Kansas (5-2) to win the Region II championship and earn a spot in the semi-finals.
The Hoosiers will begin their 2006 action with an exhibition contest against Indiana State on Saturday, Aug. 19, in a game played in the IPFW Soccer Showcase in Fort Wayne, Ind. Indiana begins its regular season on Friday, Aug. 25, as it opens play in the Wisconsin Soccer Invitational against California. The Hoosiers will follow that up with a contest against Creighton in Madison on Sunday, Aug. 27.
