KUTZTOWN, PA –
Victoria Pungello (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial) banged home a blast from about 18 feet out with eight minutes remaining that broke a deadlocked tie and lifted West Chester to a 2-1 victory over Gannon in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Championship Game Sunday afternoon.
West Chester (14-3-3) won its second straight conference title and sixth overall taking this rematch of the 2022 conference final against Gannon (15-4-2).
"What a game," West Chester head coach
Betty Ann Kempf Townsley said. "Gannon had quite a few players back from a year ago, and they played great today."
This title tested the Golden Rams' resolve, both Friday in the semifinals and again on Sunday in the championship. West Chester fell behind early on Friday against Mercyhurst and came back to win in overtime. Then, the Golden Rams answered a game-tying goal from Gannon on Sunday with a late tally to pull out the victory.
"I like to think that we tend to respond with a bigger push when teams get that tying goal on us," Kempf Townsley commented. "Faith (Matter) has that ability to tie up three or four defenders and find her teammates in open spaces, and that's what happened on Vic's goal."
Kaitlynn Haughey (Philadelphia, Pa./Penn Charter), named the most outstanding player of the postseason tournament, finally broke a scoreless tie for the Golden Rams in the 69th minute when her shot to the lower left side of the goal got past Gannon keeper Morgan Sinan.
Faith Matter (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) was credited with the assist on the play. She assisted on both of West Chester's goals in the final.
Gannon responded with the equalizer with 14 minutes remaining in the half on a header off a corner. That set the stage for Pungello's heroics in the final 10 minutes.
West Chester goalkeeper
Grace Keen (Lincoln University, Pa./Avon Grove) made eight saves to earn her 14th win of the season. Sinan made six saves for Gannon.
"Grace played very well today," Kempf Townsley said. "She made some big saves and controlled the box very well."
The Golden Rams earned the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament as a result of their victory today. They will find out who and where they play Monday evening at 6:30 p.m. That selection show can be seen on NCAA.com.
NOTES: West Chester won its sixth PSAC Women's Soccer title Sunday afternoon and second in a row … WCU improves to 24-13-5 overall in the PSAC Tournament and 6-3 in the championship game … WCU remained unbeaten against Gannon in the PSAC Tournament with its fifth win over the Golden Knights since 2013.
