University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies Beat No. 8 Penn State in Exhibition Play
8/25/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Connecticut 4, Penn State 2 (Exhibition)
Connecticut 0 3 1 - 4
Penn State 1 1 0 - 2
GOALS: First Half - PSU Stephanie Pezzullo (Christie Welsh) 32:00. Second Half – UC Kristi Lefebvre (Salla Ranta) 76:14; PSU Welsh 79:36; UC Kristen Graczyk 81:24; UC Kristine Lundberg (Lefebvre) 86:56. EXTRA HALF - UC Jessica Gjertsen 105:15.
SHOTS: UC 10; PSU 14
FOULS: UC 14; PSU 12
SAVES: UC 8 (Maria Yatrakis 5, Megan Jessee 2, Team 1); PSU 5 (Amanda Brown 0, Jaime Stich 4, Mary Ellen Oleksiuk 0, Alison Weimer 0, Team 1)
CORNER KICKS: UC 3; PSU 4
STATE COLLEGE, PA (August 25) - The University of Connecticut women’s soccer team opened its season with a win at Penn State this afternoon. The Huskies topped the Nittany Lions 4-2 in the extended exhibition. The teams played 135 minutes, as UConn rookies held their own on the field against No. 8 ranked PSU.
Stephanie Pezzullo put the Lions on the board first, catching the rebound off of a free kick taken by Christie Welsh at the 32:00 mark. The Huskies answered back in the second half, with Salla Ranta (Helsinki, Finland) sending a pass across the box to freshman Kristi Lefebvre (Colchester, VT). Welsh then notched a goal of her own to the lower right corner to once again put the Lions ahead.
After that, the Huskies scored three unanswered goals. Kristen Graczyk (Albuquerque, NM) scored unassisted from a distance of 35 feet to start the UConn rally. The rookie duo of Kristine Lundberg (Bardu, Norway) and Lefebvre put one in on the breakaway late in the second half. Lefebvre scored one goal and one assist in her first game with the Huskies. Scoring in the extra half was junior Jessica Gjertsen (Stony Plain, Alberta) who found herself on the winning end of a one-on-one with the Lions goaltender.
The Huskies will play host at the annual UConn Classic on Friday, August 30 and Sunday, September 1. The Classic, sponsored by adidas will feature UConn, Fordham, Hartford and Maryland.
2002 UConn Classic Tournament Schedule
Friday, August 30, 2002
At Morrone Stadium, Storrs, CT
4:30 p.m. – Fordham vs. Maryland
7:00 p.m. – UConn vs. Hartford
Sunday, September 1, 2002
At Morrone Stadium, Storrs, CT
Noon – Hartford vs. Fordham
2:30 p.m. – UConn vs. Maryland
