MANSFIELD, PA – West Chester and Mansfield had to overcome a plethora of obstacles as the two Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) rivals played to a 1-1 tie on a stormy Wednesday afternoon in Northeast PA.
With the game in a 1-1 standstill and 36:16 remaining on the clock, lightning struck and sent the game into a delay. The rain then followed, making the all-grass MU Soccer Field unplayable to finish the contest.
However, the game was moved to the turf on Mansfield's Karl Van Norman Field for the remainder of regulation and the two overtime periods. Unfortunately, neither side was able to dent the twine again.
Mansfield (0-1-1) earned its first point against West Chester (0-0-1) in 15 years with the tie – snapping a 15-game losing streak in the process. The last time the Mounties earned a point against the Golden Rams was a 2-2 draw in 2007 - WCU head coach
Betty Ann Kempf Townsley's first year on the Rams' sideline.
Host Mansfield struck first with a goal from Katelyn Rueppel in the 20th minute. West Chester's
Julia Raybold (Elizabethtown, Pa./Elizabethtown) answered back in the 30th minute off a double assist from teammates
Kaitlynn Haughey (Philadelphia, Pa./Penn Charter) and
Madison Bowman (Cogan Station, Pa./Williamsport).
Junior goalkeeper
Audrey Schweizerhof (Perkasie, Pa./Dock Mennonite Academy) made three saves in 110 minutes. West Chester outshot Mansfield, 25-9.
West Chester continues its season-opening road trip Saturday at Shepherd at 1 p.m.
