2002 REVIEW :: <B>PHILADELPHIA (11/19/02) </B> -- Take a look back to September 27, 2002. The women's soccer team was off to a 4-2 start, had won four consecutive games, three by shutout, and had just beaten Temple to kick off their Atlantic 10 Conference schedule

PHILADELPHIA (11/19/02) -- Take a look back to September 27, 2002. The women's soccer team was off to a 4-2 start, had won four consecutive games, three by shutout, and had just beaten Temple to kick off their Atlantic 10 Conference schedule

PHILADELPHIA (11/20/02) -- Take a look back to September 27, 2002. The women's soccer team was off to a 4-2 start, had won four consecutive games, three by shutout, and had just beaten Temple to kick off their Atlantic 10 Conference schedule. Just two days later, the Hawks began a string of three straight heartbreaking losses that sent SJU on an 11-game winless streak to end the season. The Crimson and Gray finished their season with a 4-12-1 overall record and a 1-9-1 mark in the Atlantic 10. The season began in Charlottesville against the then sixth-ranked Virginia Cavaliers. After a 7-0 loss to UVA, the Hawks returned home and suffered a close 2-1 loss at the hands of Delaware. A Jodi Young game-winner gave Saint Joseph's a 1-0 win at Drexel and the team followed that up by knocking off Bucknell, an NCAA Tournament team in 2001, 2-0, behind two Michelle Carmosky goals. The shutout streak tied a program record in New England, as a Michelle Ford tally propelled SJU over Fairfield, 1-0. After a 2-1 home win over neighboring Temple in the conference opener, the wheels came off. Against Villanova, Carmosky tied the game in the 88th minute but the Wildcats came away with a 2-1 overtime victory. Then an own-goal in the closing minutes against La Salle sent Jess Reynolds' charges home with another tough defeat. None of the losses may have been tougher to swallow than the 2-1 double overtime loss to Fordham. After tying the game in the 83rd minute on another clutch Young goal, Fordham managed a 75-yard breakaway with eight seconds remaining to beat Saint Joseph's. SJU came away with a 1-1 tie at Duquesne, but ended the season on a seven-game slide, despite playing A-10 playoff teams Richmond, Rhode Island and Dayton tough. Senior Katie Watson earned Second Team All-Atlantic 10 Conference honors after leading the team in goals (four), assists (three), and points (11). Her career goals and points totals rank her third on both lists on Hawk Hill. Another senior, Christy Ganc, was named team MVP after anchoring a young defense. Ganc made her mark on the SJU record books as well. Her 245 career saves and six career shutouts place her second and third, respectively. Reynolds graduates her leading scorer (Watson) and goalkeeper (Ganc). However, Carmosky and Ford will return to lead the offense, as they contributed to nearly half of the team's points in 2002. Facing an upgraded schedule that included a program record five NCAA qualifiers (Virginia, Villanova, Richmond, Rhode Island, and Dayton), Saint Joseph's has proved the old adage that you only get better by playing better teams. Despite their record, the Hawks have made strides towards making the A-10 postseason in the near future.