Box Score
Erie, Pa. – Mercyhurst women’s soccer team defeated PSAC East No. 1 seed and No 11 nationally West Chester 2-1 Saturday at Mercyhurst Soccer Field. The Lakers were powered by two Sarah Powell goals in the first half and strong defense throughout, ending the Golden Rams’ two-year reign as PSAC tournament champions.
The Lakers will host Indiana (Pa.) at 12 p.m. Saturday for the PSAC tournament championship with an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament on the line. The Crimson Hawks tied East Stroudsburg 1-1 and advanced to the final by beating the Warriors 9-8 in a penalty kick shootout following two scoreless extra sessions.
Mercyhurst is in its second consecutive conference tournament final match, as they played at No. 1 Grand Valley State in the GLIAC final Nov. 4, 2007, losing 4-0.
West Chester had not yielded a goal in PSAC tournament play since 2006 in a 4-2 win over Kutztown, a span of four matches. The loss was West Chester’s first PSAC tournament defeat since a 1-0 loss to Kutztown in the 2005 semifinals. Mercyhurst (12-4-4) handed West Chester its second loss of the season, as the Golden Rams are now 13-2-5.
The Golden Rams got on the board first, as Brittany Yetter sailed a high shot from 10 yards that eluded keeper Rebecca Heintzman. The goal was Yetter’s eighth on the season.
Mercyhurst knotted the game at one apiece in the 29th minute, as Jamie Schroter angled a corner kick into the box that Powell deftly headed into the net for her PSAC-leading 18th goal of the season. Schroter’s assist gave her 13 for the season, the most in the PSAC in 2008.
Powell lined up a free kick from 23 yards out in the 40th minute, and expertly bent a low shot around the wall, tucking it far post past keeper Hilary Smart for a 2-1 Mercyhurst lead. The goal, Powell’s second of the match, gave her a career-high 19 goals this season.
The Lakers took a 2-1 lead into halftime, one which they would not relinquish, as the Laker defense stymied the Golden Rams’ forwards for a majority of the match, allowing minimal clear chances at goal.
The second half produced no goals, and Mercyhurst celebrated a hard-fought 2-1 win and their berth in the PSAC tournament final Saturday.
The Lakers outshot the Golden Rams 11-7 for the game, including 7-4 in shots on goal. Heintzman made three saves in the win, while Smart absorbed the loss, making five saves and yielding two goals for just the third time in 19 starts this season, as she has posted 10 shutouts in 2008.
