WEST CHESTER, Pa.- Jacqueline Hug (West Chester, Pa./Unionville) and
Faith Matter (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) both scored a goal and assisted on two others to help lead the West Chester University women's soccer team (11-3-2, 11-3-1) to a convincing 5-2 victory over Millersville (5-7-3, 5-7-2).
With the victory this afternoon, West Chester secured the second seed in the Eastern Division ahead of the start of the PSAC Tournament next week, earning PSAC Quarterfinal hosting rights for the second consecutive year. The PSAC Quarterfinals will begin next Monday, November 6 afternoon, with West Chester hosting an opponent yet to be announced at 1 p.m.
Similar to the first meeting of the year, Millersville struck first, scoring from distance in the 13
th minute to take an early 1-0 lead.
West Chester answered quickly with its own goal just three minutes later by
Jacqueline Hug (West Chester, Pa./Unionville) as the senior finished a chance from
Faith Matter (Middletown, Pa./Middletown).
Fellow senior captain
Julia Raybold (Elizabethtown, Pa./Elizabethtown) broke the tie in the 23
rd minute off an assist by Matter, giving the Golden Rams a 2-1 lead midway through the half.
Millersville applied heavy pressure to the Golden Rams defense in the late stages of the first half, including a free kick from just outside the box with two seconds to play, but
Grace Keen (Lincoln University, Pa./Avon Grove) made the stop to keep West Chester in front heading to the half.
Victoria Pungello (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial) extended the Golden Ram lead a step further just under four minutes into the second half, scoring off an assist from Hug, stretching the lead to 3-1 while giving the senior her third point of the afternoon.
In the 59
th minute, Matter picked up a goal of her own off a beautiful one-touch assist by Hug, stretching the lead to 4-1 entering the final 30 minutes of play.
Olivia Conroy (Toms River, N.J./Donovan Catholic) stretched the lead to 5-1 in the 63
rd minute with a long goal of her own, her second in the last three games.
Millersville got a goal back in the 83
rd minute off a late corner, but the West Chester defense stiffened from this point forward, ensuring this would be as close as the Marauders would get en route to a 5-2 victory on Wednesday afternoon.
West Chester ended the game with a 24-8 lead in shots, a 13-5 lead in shots on goal, and a 5-3 advantage in corner kicks.
In goal, Keen got the start and made three saves in 80 minutes of work before
Samantha Hollish (Horsham, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) entered in relief to play the final 10 minutes of the victory. Bella Fiorenza got the start and played the full 90 minutes for Millersville, finishing her day with eight saves in an attempt to slow the Golden Ram offense.
Up Next:
West Chester returns to action on Friday afternoon at Shepherd in its regular season finale beginning at 2 p.m. The Golden Rams return to action at home on Monday, November 6, in the PSAC Quarterfinals vs an opponent yet to be determined, beginning at 1 p.m. on Rockwell Field.
