Nov. 7, 2003

Final Stats

St. Louis, Mo. - In the final game of the day at the Anheuser-Busch Center, Appalachian State (12-8) defeated tournament host Saint Louis (3-16) 5-4 in thrilling fashion as the Mountaineers scored on a corner play after regulation time had expired. The Mountaineer goal counted because field hockey rules prevent a game or half from ending when a penalty corner is in process. The Appalachian State heroics were necessary because with under a minute remaining in the game, Billiken senior Lindsay Lombardo knotted the game at 4-4 on an unassisted goal.

It was by far the most exciting game in the championship thus far, and yielded the highest number of goals. Bench and injured players for both teams cheered and hollered letting everyone within earshot know that they wanted to be on the field and were as much a part of the game as those who started. The level of intensity and excitement could not have been higher in the Center.

ASU goalkeeper Kate Ryno had to make 10 saves to give the Mountaineers the victory while Billiken keeper Julie Moeckel made six saves keeping the Bills in the game during the regulation 70 minutes. Both keepers were stunning in their efforts.

Saint Louis outshot ASU 15-14 and each team earned 10 penalty corners.

The game's scoring flury began just three minutes into the game with ASU's Nara Brookes scoring from a penalty corner, assisted by Bridgette Burkhardt and Caroline Smith. At the 14:42 minute mark, the Mountaineers' trio repeated the same manuever.

Billiken coach Lindsay Lombardo dribbled the ball up the middle of the field netting an unassisted goal.

ASU fired back five minutes later when Smith put a pass from Brookes between the pipes. Saint Louis' Carin Boone struck a Lombardo pass beyond Ryno's stick putting her team just one goal down. Sophomore Kelly Hellenga knotted the game at three off a Billiken rebound just before the end of the half.

Both teams entered the field for the second half with an intensity that had not been seen in this tournament. Smith fired a Brookes' pass beyond Moeckel putting the Mountaineers up by one. The two teams fought hard for ball and field possession throughout the remainder of the second half. The Bills' junior Ellen Rapp was issued a green card for rough play as the game minutes dwindled.

With only 45 seconds left to play, senior Lombardo struck a rebound behind Ryno to surely send the match into overtime. But with just one second on the clock, the Mountaineers flew downfield toward their goal earning a penalty corner. The powerful trio of Brookes, Smith and Burkhardt sent the ball into the net winning the match as time had expired.

It was a stunning victory for Appalachian State and a heartbreaking loss for the Bills who had just played their best game of the 2003 season.