Oct. 10, 2010
Box Score
LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. - Siena once again served notice Sunday that their offense simply cannot be stopped in the second half. Senior captain Tabitha Tice recorded a hat trick with all three goals coming within a 20 minute span in the second half as the Saints rolled Rider, 4-1. With another routine second half offensive explosion, Siena has now scored 23 goals after halftime in just 12 matches.
"Sometimes the first half is a feeling out process, seeing what's open, what's on and matchup," said head coach Steve Karbowski. "We really don't make any major adjustments, but this is a tough group of characters that really dig in and make sure they win the second half."
Siena (12-0, 4-0), ranked 25th nationally by Soccer America, needed that second half surge after some bad luck in the first half. Siena did out-shoot Rider 14-3 in a dominant opening stanza and took a 1-0 lead in the 21' on Brittany Pfaff's seventh goal of the season. But Rider (5-6-2, 1-3) responded on one of its few chances to square things in the 35'.
Abi Cottam's high arcing shot into the box was stopped by Laura Ettinger who came out to win the ball, but the Saints' keeper collided with the Broncs' Jennifer Meier who jarred the ball loose and put it into the back of the net to tie things up.
At halftime, Karbowski gave a passionate talk to his team telling them to step up. "I told them we need to be surer in the back clearing the ball and stepping aggressively," noted Karbowski. "We were a bit casual and unfocused at times and could not finish opportunities, which would end up being the big difference in the second half."
The Saints clearly took Karbowski's words to heart as they wasted no time making a swift statement right off the bat in the second half. Just over three minutes in, Tice took a cross from Pfaff at the top of the box, calmly settled the ball, spun and fired home the go-ahead goal.
Before Rider could regroup, the Saints pushed the lead to 3-1. This time Shannon Clancy served in a free kick that led in Tice one-on-one in the box. Tice finished yet again for her second goal in 91 seconds. Tice would add yet another tally in the 68' to complete her first career hat trick.
"She's a big game player," said Karbowski of Tice. "She always makes a big play whether it's winning the ball or coming up with the key goal or assist. She took it upon herself to go find the ball in the box and finish some opportunities."
Siena played 23 of its 24 players on its active roster and out-shot Rider 21-6, while holding a 6-1 edge in corners. Junior Ashleigh Barone picked up an assist to run her scoring streak to six consecutive games.
The Saints will look to equal a program-record with their 13th win of the season Friday night at Canisius. Game time is 7 p.m. from Buffalo.
