Florida Atlantic Women’s Soccer Wins Third-Straight

Owls in the midst of a dramatic turnaround to 2008 season



BOCA RATON, FL (October 17, 2008) - Florida Atlantic University fired off a season-high 24 shots en route to winning its third-straight match, a 4-1 decision over visiting Troy University Friday night at FAU Field.

Trailing at halftime, Florida Atlantic (4-8-1; 3-3-1 Sun Belt) scored a flurry of second-half goals to even up its conference record at 3-3-1. FAU had begun the season with just one victory in its first 10 matches and had started its Sun Belt season 0-3-1.

Troy (6-8-2; 1-6 Sun Belt) was out-shot 15-3 in the second half. The Trojans were unable to generate a corner kick against the FAU defense.

Trojan junior Bridget Duke opened up the scoring in the 27th minute. Following an FAU foul St. Louis native took a direct kick from 20 yards out and was able to put it through a series of FAU defenders, eventually rolling it into the left-hand corner of the Owls' net. Troy held the 1-0 advantage at intermission.

"I was surprised by Troy's plan of attack in the first half," said FAU head coach Brian Dooley. "It took a long time for us to figure things out tonight.”

But FAU did figure things out in the second half. In the period’s opening moments Laura Hyvonen scored her second goal of the season, which was set up by a nicely served corner kick by teammate Gabriela D'Vries. Hyvonen, a sophomore transfer from Vantaa, Finland, scored twice Friday and tallied six shots - all on goal - and has gotten off nine in FAU's last two matches.

"When Laura scored the early goal in the second half the confidence set in," said Dooley. "We then went out and took control of the game."

Hyvonen capped off FAU’s four-goal second half when she scored off another D’Vries corner kick in the 86th minute.

Jannica Tjeder had converted a penalty kick with just under 20 minutes remaining in the second half to put FAU in front 2-1. Tjeder's penalty kick opportunity stemmed from a Troy foul in the front of the net, with two defenders knocking down Tjeder's classmate Natalie D'Oria on an attempt to play a cross.

Moment’s later D'Oria would score a goal of her own – side-stepping Branham after a nice feed from Brittany Comer to make it 3-1.

FAU senior goalkeeper Jessica Badders had four saves. It was the fourth straight match that Badders has saved four or more shots.

"Troy did a great job. The score may have been 4-1 but that was not indicative of their effort,” said Dooley. “Hopefully we can keep riding this wave and continue to climb in the league standings."

Badders, Tjeder, Comer, D'Oria, and Janeke Simpkins - FAU's five senior players - will all be honored prior to FAU's 12 p.m. Sunday match with the University of South Alabama.