Owls Soar in Rain-Soaked Opener

Friday, August 26

Boca Raton, Fla.

7:00 PM

Florida Atlantic

1-0

Monmouth

0-1

Monmouth

Florida Atlantic

8/26/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

Aug. 26, 2005

Final Stats

BOCA RATON, FL -- Susanna Lehtinen scored a pair of goals, equaling her total from last season, as she led Florida Atlantic University to a 3-0 win over Monmouth University in women's soccer Friday night.

At times during the second half there was intense rain, backlash from hurricane Katrina, but it was the Owl offense that poured it on.

"Anytime you come into your first game of the season, you don't know what to expect," said head coach Brian Dooley. "The first goal really helped take the pressure off and let us play our game."

The season's first goal was scored by Lehtinen at the 12:18 mark off a turnover in front of the Momouth net.

The score would remain 1-0 until the 63rd minute, when Monique Cabrera collected a cross from Katri Nokso-Koivisto and floated the ball over Monmouth goalkeeper Addie Kozlowski's head for the game's second goal.

"It was good to see that go in, because the way Monique's luck was going last season, that ball would have hit off the cross bar. She made a great play to float it over the keeper's head," Dooley said.

Just minutes later, Owl goalkeeper Megan Coyne was called on to make her first big save of the season. MU's Kate Sands dribbled in and blasted a shot that Coyne dove to her right to stop with both hands.

"That could have been a major turning point in the game. Fortunately, Megan was equal to the task," Dooley said.

The final FAU goal on the night was the most impressive. Michele Fazzari played the ball to Danielle DiLeo who made a hard crossing pass to Lehtinen, who picked the ball out of mid-air and drove the ball past a diving Kozlowski from the far elbow for her second goal of the game.

"That was worth the price of admission," Dooley said.

The Owls will now turn their attention to Sunday's game, as they welcome University of South Florida to FAU Field. The game is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start.