West Chester vs Shepherd
Game Details: November 9 I 1 P.M.
Location: Rockwell Field (West Chester, Pa.)
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 exacted revenge for a 3-1 home loss to Millersville earlier this season with a dominant 4-1 victory over the Marauders on Wednesday night in Millersville, which helped the Golden Rams clinch the second seed in the upcoming PSAC Tournament. Alyson Cutter (Warrington, Pa./C.B. South) scored her league-best 13th goal of the year just five minutes into the match to give West Chester an early 1-0 lead. Faith Matter (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) wasted little time extending this lead, scoring her first of three on the night just 15 minutes later as the junior became the second Golden Ram to record a hat trick this season in the victory. Grace Keen (Lincoln University, Pa./Avon Grove) earned the victory in goal, making seven saves on eight shots to lead the Golden Rams.
Flock Talk
Cutter remains the league leader in goals with 13 on the year, two clear of Brooklyn Respecki and Grace Emmanuel of Gannon, while also ranking in a tie for second in points with 28 on 13 goals and two assists. One does not have to look far to find the leagues scoring leader as teammate Faith Matter remained atop the chart this week, entering the regular-season finale with nine goals and 11 assists for 29 points on the year.
In goal, Keen is 10-5-1 on the year with eight shutouts and a 0.84 goals-against average.
Two of a Kind
Matter became the second WCU player to score a hat trick this season in the win over Millersville on Wednesday night, matching Cutter, who has already done so a program-record-setting twice this campaign.
See Ya Tuesday
With its win over Millersville, a Kutztown loss at East Stroudsburg, and a scoreless draw between Bloomsburg and Lock Haven, West Chester earned the second seed in the PSAC Tournament. It will host a Quarterfinal against either Bloomsburg or Kutztown on Rockwell Field on Tuesday afternoon beginning at 1 p.m.
Protect the Streak
West Chester still has some work left in front of it to extend its Division II record-setting NCAA Tournament appearance streak to 21 years in a row. West Chester and Grand Valley State broke the NCAA record for the longest streak last year as they passed Franklin Pierce’s 19-year run. Now, it is a battle in which perennial power will blink and miss the Tournament first. Grand Valley State was ranked third in the first numbered rankings of the year in the Midwest Region as the Lakers currently show a record of 11-1-4, heading into their final two regular season games of the year.
Series History
West Chester has never lost to Shepherd and has won eight of nine 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 nine meetings, posting five shutouts, including a shutout in four of the last five matchups.
When the two teams met in West Virginia earlier this season, Victoria Pungello (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial) scored the game-winner in the 56th minute and West Chester made this tally stand up defensively to hold on for a 1-0 victory over the previously unbeaten Rams.
Scouting Shepherd
Undeterred by an early October loss to West Chester, Shepherd has continued its magical season in recent weeks. The Rams enter Saturday’s matchup with a record of 12-1-4 overall and 12-1-2 in league play, with wins in each of its last five, including shutouts in four of those five games.
On Wednesday afternoon, Shepherd downed Shippensburg on Senior Day by a 2-0 final after a late first-half goal by Taylor Schuck and a late second-half tally by Sarah Peternel guided the Rams past the visiting Raiders. Shepherd ended the match with an 18-3 lead in shots and a 13-3 lead in shots on goal while also ending with a 3-2 lead in corners.
Lydia Gable is first on the team in scoring with 10 goals and seven assists for 27 points on the year, while Reagan Ackerman is second with five goals and six assists for 16 points on the season. In goal, Hannah Wilt has been excellent in her sophomore season, playing to a record of 12-1-4 with a 0.47 goals-against average and nine shutouts.
