WEST CHESTER, Pa.-Seeking its first unbeaten and untied regular season since 2016, the West Chester women's soccer team (16-0-1, 15-0-1) returned to action on Saturday afternoon vs East Stroudsburg (9-6-3, 7-6-3) in a Senior Day clash and PSAC Tournament preview. West Chester scored first, jumping out to an early lead in just the 11
th minute but a late ESU goal was enough to allow the visiting Warriors to escape Rockwell Field with a 1-1 tie against the Golden Rams.
West Chester ended the game with significant advantages in most categories, holding a 21-7 lead in shots (11-3 in shots on goal), and a 3-1 edge in corner kicks.
Hayley McGee (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) made two big saves on her senior day while her freshman counterpart, Emmy Clarkson stood out for the Warriors, making 10 massive saves to keep one of the top offensive units in the PSAC and all of Division II in check throughout the afternoon.
Prior to the game, West Chester had the opportunity to honor its six seniors in McGee,
Audrey Schweizerhof (Perkasie, Pa./Dock Mennonite), Maggie Lena (Santa Monica, Cal./Santa Monica), Nicolette Harrison (Perkasie, Pa./Pennridge), Rebecca Margolis (Newtown Square, Pa./Council Rock South), and Deanna Lebotesis (Feasterville, Pa./Neshaminy) for all they have done for the Golden Rams throughout their careers.
West Chester jumped out to an early lead when
Julia Raybold (Elizabethtown, Pa./Elizabethtown) buried a header off a corner by Lena to give the Purple and Gold the early first-half advantage.
West Chester continued to apply pressure including a pair of excellent chances by
Alyson Cutter (Warrington, Pa./C.B. South) in the next 15 minutes but freshman keeper Emmy Clarkson made a
pair of tremendous diving stops to keep the score at 1-0.
Raybold nearly notched her second of the afternoon late in the first half but the shot went hard off the far post keeping the score at 1-0 heading into the halftime break.
West Chester ended the first half with a 9-2 lead in shots and a 3-0 advantage on corner after successfully keeping the ball pinned in the ESU half of the field for much of the opening 45 minutes.
Jacqueline Hug (West Chester, Pa./Unionville) took her own chance at doubling the lead just seconds into the second half but her chance went just wide after a nice play by Clarkson to cut down the angle for the attacking Golden Rams.
East Stroudsburg nearly netted the equalizer it was seeking just under five minutes into the second half but the chance went juts over the bar to keep the score at 1-0 in favor of West Chester.
As the half continued, West Chester continued to generate excellent scoring chances but Clarkson was up to the task, finishing her afternoon with 10 saves, including six in the second half to keep the score right where it was heading into the final minutes of regulation.
With just under 10 minutes to play in the game, East Stroudsburg found the equalizer it was desperately seeking in what was its first good scoring opportunity since the early part of the second half on a header off a corner, thus, evening the score at 1-1.
West Chester mounted a final charge over the last nine minutes of play but ESU was able to withstand the potent Golden Ram offense and hold on for a 1-1 tie on the final day of the regular season.
Up Next:
West Chester and East Stroudsburg will meet again on Tuesday afternoon in the PSAC Quarterfinals on Rockwell Field beginning at 1 p.m. Fans are reminded that they will need to park on the opposite side of South New Street from Rockwell Field (Lot Q) and admission will charged with prices set at $10 for adults, $5 for students & seniors, with students from PSAC Member Institutions being admitted free of charge with valid, current student ID.
