KUTZTOWN, Pa.- Kaitlynn Haughey (Philadelphia, Pa./Penn Charter) scored the eventual game winner just 11 seconds into overtime to lift the third-seeded West Chester University women's soccer team (13-3-3) to a 2-1 victory over PSAC West Regular-Season Champion Mercyhurst (15-3-1) on Friday evening at Kutztown.
"I'm so excited for this team" opened head coach
Betty Ann Kempf Townsley. "To go down 1-0 early and fight back the way we did is tremendous. I thought we played very well and actually controlled the game at times, which was good to see. Our team has dealt with so much adversity this year and has continued to fight back, which is a great tribute to this entire team," continued Kempf Townsley.
West Chester found itself behind early, trailing for the first time since October 31 against Millersville, but scored early in the second half and again early in overtime to secure its spot in the PSAC Championship game for the second year in a row.
"Having been on this stage last year, I think this team definitely knows what these games feel like and what it takes to win this time of year. Our team is very strong minded and strong willed in these games, so I'm certainly excited to see us back on the field on Sunday," concluded Kempf Townsley.
Mercyhurst opened the scoring early, breaking through in the eighth minute when Karah Van Horn received a pass from Corrine Morgan to put the Lakers out in front.
West Chester and Mercyhurst both had chances in the remainder of the first half, heading to the break with the Lakers holding a 1-0 lead despite a 10-3 advantage in shots for the Golden Rams.
When asked about her halftime message, Kempf Townsley said, "I asked the team for some more urgency in the box. I thought we were creating good chances throughout the first half and thought it was a only a matter of time until we found the tying goal."
Faith Matter (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) tied things up for West Chester in the 57
th minute, scoring off assists from
Kaitlynn Haughey (Philadelphia, Pa./Penn Charter) and Jacqueline Hug (West Chester, Pa./Unionville).
In the 62
nd minute,
Alyson Cutter (Warrington, Pa./C.B. South) nearly gave West Chester the lead when her shot rang off the top corner of the post, keeping the game locked at 1-1. The ball made its way out of bounds, leading to a West Chester corner, but the ensuing header from
Carley Slavin (Abington, Pa./Abington) went high to keep the Golden Rams off the board for at least a few more minutes.
Matter appeared as if she may pick up her second goal of the game with just over 11 minutes to play, getting off a pair of good shots in rapid succession, but Mercyhurst keeper Maddie Elbro was up to the task, making a pair of outstanding saves to keep things tied at 1-1.
The Golden Rams continued to apply pressure to the Laker defense in the final minutes of regulation, but things remained tied at 1-1, sending West Chester to overtime for the first time this season.
In the extra session, West Chester scored off the restart as Hug brought the ball down through the middle, sending a perfect pass through the box to the feet of a streaking Haughey. Haughey did not miss her chance, burying a goal past a charging Elbro to give the Golden Rams a 2-1 lead just 11 seconds into OT.
"The three of them (Matter, Hug, and Haughey) orchestrated it perfectly," said Kempf Townsley when asked about the OT winner coming directly off the touch. "I don't think Mercyhurst was fully ready for us to charge down the field that way and I think Jackie made a great decision, drawing a group of players toward her and the rest is what we saw."
Teagan Mehalko tried to even the score at 2-2 in the 97
th minute, but her shot was blocked, and she was subsequently whistled for a foul moments later, sending the ball back with the Golden Rams. This proved to be the lone chance of the first OT period for the Lakers as West Chester carried a 2-1 lead into the final 10 minutes of the match.
Mercyhurst applied early pressure to the West Chester defense to start the second overtime, hoping to duplicate the success by the Golden Rams but the Lakers were not officially credited with a shot in the final 10 minutes of the match as WCU held on for the 2-1 victory.
Despite needing overtime to punch its ticket back to the PSAC Championship game, West Chester ended the match with a 29-7 lead in shots, a 13-3 lead in shots on goal, and a 9-2 lead in corners, controlling possession through the afternoon on Friday. Elbro was outstanding for Mercyhurst, making 11 big saves to slow the potent Golden Ram offense. For her part,
Grace Keen (Lincoln University, Pa./Avon Grove) turned in another strong effort between the pipes, finishing the night with two saves in the victory.
Up Next:
With tonight's victory, West Chester advances to the PSAC Championship game for the second year in a row and will face the winner of the Gannon/Kutztown semifinal scheduled for tonight at 6 p.m.
