Soccer still undefeated in PSAC

After 110 minutes of hard-fought play, the Edinboro women’s soccer team remained undefeated in the PSAC. Their Saturday matchup against Gannon ended in a tie, 2-2.

Gannon started the scoring off immediately, less than 30 seconds in, setting up the intensity of the match. The Scots fought back and scored minutes later when Rebecca Manns sent a cross into the box where Brittnie Spithaler tried for a header. She couldn’t quite knock it in, but Brittany Hurey then sent it past the goalkeeper. The Lady Knights would try to even the score 20 seconds later, but goalie Anna Voelker made a save and grabbed the ball.

Both teams had scoring opportunities soon after. Edinboro had theirs with a Mary Sinan free kick that went slightly wide, and Gannon responded when they forced a save from Voelker that she then had to chase down.

The Scots would strike next, though, when Leah Czechowski took advantage of a pass from Spithaler and beat the goalie with a corner shot.
The Edinboro lead would be short lived as Gannon’s Hannah Hays would take advantage of a “1v1” against Voelker to tie it up before the half. That would be the last goal of the game.

“We cleared the ball, we thought we could close it, [but] the kid hit it from outside. It was just one of those unfortunate ‘we couldn’t close it down quick enough,’” said Head Coach Gary Kagiavas on how the tying goal happened.

Jessica Frank was issued a yellow card in the first half.

The second half started off with a sense of deja vu as Gannon had a shot on goal within 20 seconds. Both teams failed to score in the second half which sent the game into overtime.

The first overtime was a very different pace than the two regulation halves. The teams played more conservatively with ‘Boro getting only one recorded shot on goal. And while the scoring chances were down, the physicality increased.

Two fouls and a yellow were issued within the 10-minute overtime, and Frank was substituted as she took a heavy hit that resulted in a yellow for Gannon.

The first overtime period ended scoreless. There was only one shot on goal (by Mann) in the second overtime. The game ended 2-2.

Hurey and Czechowski scored goals. Spithaler had two assists. Voelker had six saves.

There were 26 fouls in the game.

“It’s a local rivalry. That’s what happens,” said Kagiavas on the number of fouls. “It’s always a blood bath. It’s Gannon, it’s local, it’s a rivalry. We recruit the same kids. It’s just always a tough game.”

“I knew I had a target on my back, and I started drawing fouls, so honestly it was probably a good thing,” said Frank on playing as much as she did after her yellow.

“I wasn’t hurting, I was just ready to go out there and try to win the game,” she said about playing after the hit she too

The Scots return to action against Pitt-Johnstown on Saturday. They are currently 4-2-1 overall and 4-0-1 in the conference.

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