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Blue Devil Graduates, Bognanno & Lipsher, Lead AJAX America To WPSL Title
Release provided by Duke Sports Information and WPSL Media Relations
NATOMAS, Calif.? Duke University women’s soccer graduates Carmen Bognanno and Allison Lipsher led the Ajax America squad to the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) National Championship on Sunday with a 3-1 victory over Arizona Rush in Natomas, Calif.
Bognanno, a 2005 Blue Devil graduate, was a starting midfielder and Lipsher, a 2008 graduate, started in goal for the Ajax (14-3-1) squad.
The Ajax defense led by All-WPSL defender Dani Bosio clamped down on a young and athletic Arizona offense, only allowing a 30-yard strike from University of Arizona’s Kelly Nelson Lipsher, who was named to the All-Tournament team. The Ajax offense was bolstered by the return of U.S. U-23 forward Kiki Bosio on this night, with their attacking volume turned up to 11 as soon as she stepped on the field.
Setting up the first & second goals of the match, while notching the insurance goal, Bosio was a true difference-maker for Brain Boswell’s side. However, the casual observer could easily witness that the true success of his side was a complete team effort.
Ajax would hold the run of possession through the first half but would find quality scoring chances hard to find via the Arizona’s young, physical and determined defense - led by All-Tournament selections Analisa Marquez and Lindsey Johnson. Midway through the half, though, All-Tournament selection Renee Scachetti would beat Rush keeper Emalee Rogers (4 saves) to a flighted ball into the penalty area, but her header would sail just over the cross bar.
In the 28th minute, Ajax would threaten again as Leah Wilson had a point-blank shot on Rogers, but the Big Sky Conference of the Year would save smartly and push the shot away for a corner. But then in the 33rd minute, Arizona’s Nelson would repeat her shooting prowess from the day before in the WPSL Semifinal win over New England, firing another 30-yard bomb for the first goal of the match.
Even with her full extension dive at the shot, Ajax goalkeeper,Lipsher (2 saves), could only watch the shot fly just over her fingertips and underneath the crossbar. Ajax would respond in high order, as Kiko Bosio initiated the offensive rush that led to the tying goal in the 39th minute.
Bosio broke down the right flank, sending in a low, hard drive across the face of goal that the Rush defense couldn’t properly clear. Scachetti would redeem herself in clinical fashion, as she pounced on the loose ball and finished under the dive of Rogers and inside the far post. The half would end with the score tied at 1-1.
It didn’t take much time in the second half for Ajax to get their second goal, as the dangerous flip throw-in from Bosio proved too much for the Rush defense to handle. Essentially a corner kick from the left sideline, Kiko Bosio let fly and Myisha Delaney pounced on the knockdown for the 2-1 lead in the 47th minute - which proved the be the eventual game-winner. The Rush offense could not get anything going against the experienced unity of the Ajax team defense in the second half and were held to only one shot on Lipsher.
With a little over 13 minutes remaining, Kiko Bosio would again prove to be a handful, attacking deep down the left flank and drawing a yellow card infraction on Arizona’s Danielle Morin. All-Tournament selection Brooke O’Hanley would drive the free kick towards the face of the goal, which would force another knockdown and Bosio finished for the final score of 3-1.
CO-MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Dani Bosio/Kiki Bosio (Ajax).
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM: Marcia Foltz (MYSC Lady Blues), Mary-Frances Monroe (N.E. Mutiny), Danielle Dakin (N.E. Mutiny), Kelly Nelson (Arizona), Analisa Marquez (Arizona), Lindsey Johnson (Arizona), Kiki Bosio (Ajax), Dani Bosio (Ajax), Brooke O’Hanley (Ajax), Renee Scachetti (Ajax), Allison Lipsher (Ajax).
AJAX STARTERS: Lipsher (GK), D. Bosio, Scachetti, Scholl, O’Hanley, Brewer, Bognanno, Delaney, Cross, Wilson, Alfiler.
ARIZONA STARTERS: Rogers (GK), Balcer, McDonald, Moore, Heath, Johnson, Morin, Davis, Bednarz, Nelson, Marquez.
STATS: Shots - 13-5 (Ajax); Saves - 4-2 (Arizona); Fouls - 6-6; Corner Kicks - 7-2 (Ajax).
The WPSL is a 51-team national women’s soccer league with five conferences and is considered one of the top women’s soccer leagues in the world. The WPSL’s mission is to provide the highest level of women’s soccer while simultaneously providing affordable, quality family entertainment and positive role models for youth.
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