WEST CHESTER, Pa.- Jacqueline Hug (West Chester, Pa./Unionville) scored the game-winning goal off an assist from
Alyson Cutter (Warrington, Pa./C.B. South) with just 36 seconds to play in regulation as No. 5 West Chester (9-0-0, 8-0-0) survived a scare from an upset-minded Millersville (1-5-2, 1-4-2) squad.
West Chester appeared to be in control early, taking a lead just 10 minutes into the contest and outshooting its guests by a wide margin in the first half but Millersville continued to show itself as a second-half team, tying the game early in the second half before nearly tying the game again with just 10 seconds to play in regulation.
On the year, Millersville has been outscored 11-1 in the first half of games but has now outscored its opponents 9-6 in the second half of contests, staying in games late throughout the first half of the 2022 campaign, which was no different on Wednesday afternoon inside Rockwell field.
Nicolette Harrison (Perkasie, Pa./Pennridge) gave the Golden Rams an early 1-0 lead off an assist from
Julia Raybold (Elizabethtown, Pa./Elizabethtown) in the 10
th minute, which held up as the Purple and Gold held a one-goal lead at the halftime break.
With the early lead, West Chester continued to apply pressure throughout the remainder of the first half, outshooting the Marauders 11-3 on the first half, including a pair of quick shots in the 18
th and 19
th minutes from
Lauren Corless (Old Bridge, N.J./Old Bridge) and Kaitlynn Haughey (Philadelphia, Pa./Penn Charter) but the Marauder defense was up to the task, keeping the deficit at just one heading into the break.
In the 51
st minute, Millersville evened the score off a breakaway chance as Isabel Coy found her way in behind the West Chester defense to knot the score at 1-1.
West Chester threatened as the second half wore on, generating a trio of great chances in the 73
rd minute and again in the 85
th but each time the Millersville defense, which was led by eight saves by Reagan Kolinski proved up to the task of slowing the West Chester offense, which has been among the top units in all of Division II women's soccer throughout the season.
Finally, in the 90
th minute with the game appearing as if it might end in a draw, and end the Golden Rams unbeaten and untied start to the regular season, Hug capitalized on a loose ball in the box that was headed down by Cutter after being first headed by Haughey to give West Chester a 2-1 advantage entering the waning seconds of regulation.
Millersville mounted a quick counter-attack, eventually getting fouled just across midfield and getting a free-kick opportunity with 22 seconds to play. The Marauders launched the ball into the box and created a bouncing-ball situation, which nearly led to the tying goal with 10 seconds to play in regulation but the Marauders were called offsides on the play, thus, neutralizing the opportunity and giving West Chester the ball back as time expired.
West Chester ended the contest with a commanding 24-5 lead in shots and a 10-4 advantage in shots on goal while also ending the battle with a 7-4 lead in corner kicks. In goal, reigning PSAC East Defensive Player of the Week,
Hayley McGee (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) played tough throughout the afternoon, making three big saves to slow the upset-minded Marauders offense.
Up Next:
West Chester will now shift its attention to a rematch with No. 14 Bloomsburg at home on Saturday afternoon beginning at 12 p.m. as the Golden Rams begin the second-half of their rigorous PSAC East schedule.
