Bove, Knights get their NCAA soccer rematch

By: Chris Fitz Gerald, The Record


ALBANY - In four seasons with Saint Rose's women's soccer team, Lindsay Bove hasn't missed a game.

Yet there's one match which stands out in particular in the senior midfielder's mind.

In Bove's freshman campaign, the Golden Knights suffered a 1-0 loss to Franklin Pierce in snowy conditions in an NCAA regional semifinal. The memory fuels Bove's motivation even further.

"I remember that game because it was snowing and that was one of the most intense games I've ever played in my life,"
Bove said. "Back when I was a freshman we didn't have such a strong program, we were still up and coming. "That was a heartbreaker, but that showed us what we could do."

Bove's longevity for St. Rose has paralleled the progression of St. Rose into a national power in women's soccer.

The third-ranked Golden Knights (19-0-2) get another shot at No. 16 Franklin Pierce (15-1-5) when they host the Ravens in a Division II New England Region final 11 a.m. today at the Albany Academy for Girls.

"It's a great opportunity for us because we've never made it past the Sweet 16 before," Bove said. "And the opportunity to knock off Franklin Pierce, they've been the
ones who have moved on in the past and that has been one of our main goals is to get past this region."

The winner advances to a national quarterfinal match on Sunday at the same site against the winner of the Northeast Region final between seventh-ranked C.W. Post (17-1-2) or No. 19 West Chester (17-2-2) at 1:30 p.m. Friday at Albany Academy.

"They've knocked us out of the NCAAs too many times," Bove said of Franklin Pierce. "We finally this year have done everything to put us in a great position to have the ability to beat them. We just want to take advantage of what we have and go out there and do our best."

The Golden Knights will be making their fifth NCAA Tournament appearance in six seasons, but this progression hasn't come without some growing pains along the
way.

"For my senior year, this is especially special to be where we're at," said Bove, who has contributed eight goals and 21 assists this season from the midfield. "And to have the ability to beat a good team and be in a game at this level means something. Being a senior, every game from now on could be my last, so looking at it that way it's one more game to make a statement and an impact on the program."

After the one-goal loss to Franklin Pierce in 2004, St. Rose didn't qualify for NCAAs the next season and last year suffered a 3-1 setback at Franklin Pierce.

"We had a few unlucky goals scored on us, so we're looking to avenge that game, because we didn't think we played that
well against them," Bove said. "We want to make sure that we can play against them in the postseason and we can do our best against them."

"It's always a very high caliber game with a lot of talented players on the field," St. Rose coach Laurie Darling Gutheil said. "It's tremendously competitive and you've got to play a great game to be successful."

One of two blemishes to the Golden Knights unbeaten season was a 0-0 draw to Franklin Pierce in their second match of
the season on Sept. 1.

"They've had a great team for a number of years now, so every time we go out there it's a battle," Bove said. "They're physical and they play a great possession game, so
it's a good game."

Led by senior midfielder and Northeast-10 Conference player of the year Gabriela Demoner, who has scored 27 goals and assisted on 11 others this season, the Ravens are in quest of their 14th national final four appearance. The Saints are seeking to earn their first national quarterfinal berth.

"It's grown tremendously," Bove said of the program. "Coach has done such a great job setting up the program and bringing in good girls. From where I've been as a
freshman to now, the program is so much
stronger.

"We've made an impact in the conference and an impact in the playoffs. ... Each year we have another goal and this year we wanted to win our conference and get out of regionals, and that's where we are right now."

As well as a conference All-Star, Bove was named as a first-team Northeast-10 Conference All-Academic selection for the third year.

Bove was also named a second-team Daktronics All-Region pick (after garnering first-team honors as a junior), was selected to the ESPN The Magazine/CoDIDA College Division District I Academic All-America First Team for the second year.

"She's just been that constant figure who is the leader on the field and her mentality and approach to competitiveness and her desire to win is crucial," Guthiel said. "We recruit players that believe they're going to win every time they step onto the field and he's a true example of this."

The Golden Knights are far from a one woman show with Bove, as junior midfielder Sami Brown and McGuire are both Daktronics All-Region selections.

Brown ranks third in the Northeast-10 Conference with 31 points and is fourth with 15 goals. McGuire stands second on the team scoring with six goals and a single-season school record 14 assists. In all, 21 players have found the scoring column for St. Rose this season.

"For us the wonderful thing is being able to bring a talented group of players like these together," Gutheil said. "They have such desire and work ethic to be very successful is really rewarding."

The Golden Knights rely heavily on a defense which is ranked fifth in the nation, allowing .42 goals a game and is tied for second with a .714 shutout percentage.

Senior goalkeeper Lauren Steinberg, a Daktronics All-Region First Team selection, anchors the defense with a 17-0-2 record, along with six shutouts, 53 saves and a .420 goals against average.

Steinberg backs a defense led by sophomore Kira Duran and freshmen Amanda Deck, Coco Ebersole and Kelly Guerin.
Yet there's no doubt Bove is the heart of this Golden Knights' squad.

"She keeps us together and also brings a lot fun to the team, especially the last couple weeks, everything has been so serious," McGuire said. "She brings a level of excitement to this team."