Oct. 28, 2007

Box Score | SpiderTV Wrap-Up

UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - The Richmond field hockey team defeated Saint Louis 3-0 in the regular-season finale on Sunday at Crenshaw Field.

Sophomore Adrian Pickar scored her fifth goal of the season just 7:23 into the match and sophomores Megan Thompson and Sarah Blythe-Wood added goals as Richmond finished 5-2 in conference play. It marked the sixth-straight season that the Spiders have posted a conference winning percentage over .700.

"It's wonderful that we could finish off our home season with a shutout," Richmond head coach Gina Lucido said. "This was a significant win, we were able to put some goals in."

The five-time defending Atlantic 10 Champion Spiders have won 47 of their last 49 games against Atlantic 10 competition dating back to the start of the 2001 season. Richmond is the third seed in the Atlantic 10 Tournament and will play second seed Massachusetts in the semifinals on Friday at 2 p.m. at Saint Joseph's University. Top-seed Temple and fourth seed Saint Joseph's will play in the other semifinal at 11 a.m.

The Spiders lost to Massachusetts 1-0 last Sunday on a penalty stroke. Richmond defeated Temple 2-1 and Saint Joseph's 3-2 early in the season.

"This is a huge week ahead for us," Lucido said. "UMass is going to be an incredibly tough opponent, but I believe we're going to be prepared and I look forward to it."

Sunday was Senior Day as senior captains Erin Arthur and Tara Kelly were honored before the game.

"I'm very proud of our captains, Erin (Arthur) and Tara (Kelly), and just pleased that the team was able to make a stand for them today," Lucido said.

The Spiders out-shot Saint Louis 21-13, including a 14-6 advantage in the first half, when Richmond opened up a 3-0 lead 23:29 into the contest. That was more than enough offense as Richmond sophomore goalkeeper Jacki Raithel (2 saves) and junior Becca Weaver (4 saves) combined on the Spiders' third shutout of the season, all coming in the last five games.

Richmond controlled play early and got on the board when sophomore Jess Weidner took a shot from the top of the circle that Pickar deflected in for her fifth goal of the season. In the 20th minute Weidner collected her second assist, using some fancy stick work to get in behind the defense and around the keeper. She then centered the ball to Thompson, who found the back of the cage for her fourth goal of the season.

Just four minutes later Thompson set up Blythe-Wood on a penalty corner for Blythe-Wood's team-leading seventh-career goal.

The Spiders forced Saint Louis keeper Amy Wasserman to make 10 saves in the contest.