West Chester at Shepherd
Game Details: October 9 I 1 P.M.
Location: Shepherdstown, W.V.
Coverage Links: Live Stats I Video
Series: 7-0-1
WCU Links: NEWS I ROSTER I SCHEDULE I STATS
Shepherd Links: NEWS I ROSTER I SCHEDULE I STATS
Last Time Out
West Chester avoided a losing streak to start October on Saturday afternoon with a complete 3-0 win over Bloomsburg in its first home game since mid-September. West Chester struck first in the 24th minute when Carley Slavin (Abington, Pa./Abington) got her head on the end of a Victoria Pungello (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial) corner before Matter scored twice in the second half, scoring once in the 56th minute and again in the 82nd to help guide the Golden Rams to the 3-0 victory. Grace Keen (Lincoln University, Pa./Avon Grove) was also strong in goal, making seven saves to help keep the potent Husky offense quiet throughout the afternoon.
Flock Talk
With her two goals on Saturday afternoon, Matter vaulted back to the top of the WCU scoring chart as she now leads the team in points with 14 thanks to her three goals and team-leading eight assists on the year. Alyson Cutter (Warrington, Pa./C.B. South) continues to lead the team in goals with six, while Kaitlynn Haughey (Philadelphia, Pa./Penn Charter) is close behind with four of her own, along with two assists for 10 points on the year.
In goal, Keen has been solid once again for West Chester, playing to a record of 5-3-0 with three shutouts and a 1.14 goals-against average as the second half of PSAC East play draws closer.
We Are Honored
Matter earned PSAC East Athlete of the Week honors for the first time in 2024 this week after scoring a pair of goals in the win over Bloomsburg on Saturday and adding an assist in a setback at Kutztown on Wednesday night.
Series History
West Chester has never lost to Shepherd and has won seven of eight meetings, with the only exception being a scoreless draw in Shepherdstown that concluded the regular season a year ago. The Golden Rams have also only allowed the Rams to score five goals in the first eight meetings, posting four shutouts, including a shutout in three of the last four matchups.
Scouting Shepherd
Shepherd is in the midst of what may well be remembered as its best season in program history. The Rams are unbeaten through their first nine games of the year and have risen to 17th in Division II women’s soccer, their highest ranking in program history.
Shepherd opened the year with a pair of 1-1 draws vs Slippery Rock and Fairmont State but has since found its footing in league play, going 6-0-1 in such matches, with the lone draw coming against Kutztown on September 28. In the other six games, Shepherd has outscored teams 20-2 and opponents 21-3 in PSAC East play overall, including that 1-1 draw against the Golden Bears. Most recently, Shepherd dispatched Lock Haven on the road on Saturday afternoon, taking an early lead via a second-minute PK before tacking on two more goals early in the second half to roll to the 3-0 triumph.
Lydia Gable ranks in a tie for fifth in Division II women’s soccer in points per game, averaging 2.33 per contest with 21 points on the year after scoring eight goals and assisting on five others through the first nine games of the year for the Rams. While Gable is in the midst of one of the best seasons of any player in the Atlantic Region, she is far from the only threat for the Rams as Annabelle Wunderlich and Reagan Ackerman are tied for the second on the team in goals with Taylor Schuck with three each, while Sarah Peternel and Anaya Lozano have each scored a pair already this season. In goal, Hannah Wilt has played all but nine minutes between the pipes this season, posting a record of 6-0-3 with a 0.56 goals-against average and four shutouts on the year.
