The Gannon University women’s soccer team notched two wins, a tie and a loss over fall break.
The Knights beat rival Mercyhurst (3-2) and West Chester (3-2 in double overtime), lost 1-0 to East Stroudsburg and battled Seton Hill to a scoreless tie in four hard-fought games.
As a result, the Knights came out of the break with an overall 6-5-2 record and a 5-5-2 mark in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference play heading into Wednesday’s 6 p.m. nonconference road match at Mansfield.
Sunday’s match against host Mercyhurst started with four shots in the first six minutes before Maddie North scored the opening goal two minutes later for Gannon.
Mercyhurst’s Laia Santos tied the match, 1-1, in the 32nd minute before Taylor Lewis scored the game-winner in the 57th minute. Gannon goalie Hannah Pufpaff recorded three saves in her fifth win of the season.
Gannon’s double-overtime victory against West Chester Friday began with the Knights going down 1-0 on a goal from Hannah Grandell. Hannah Hays tied the match in the 69th minute for her third goal of the season.
With five minutes left to play in regulation freshman Vanessa Coccurello put the Knights up 2-1 off a Hays assist. But West Chester’s Shannon Cooley scored off a loose ball in the box to even the score at 2-2 with just 45 seconds remaining in regulation.
Hays scored the game-winning goal with 7:34 remaining in double-overtime. Aesling McCullough fed the ball ahead of Hays, who sent the ball flying into the top left corner of the goal.
On Oct. 6, the Knights came up short to East Stroudsburg on the road. Jules Sicker struck for the match’s only goal for East Stroudsburg in the 33rd minute. The Knights responded in the second half, doubling their opposition’s shots, 10-5, but they could not convert.
Taylor Lewis led Gannon’s offensive attack with five shots. Pufpaff made five saves in the loss.
East Stroudsburg is the four-time defending PSAC champions.
The Knights battled Seton Hill to a double-overtime scoreless tie on Oct. 3. Seton Hill held the advantage in shots in the first half, 6-5, but the Knights countered in the second half with a 16-3 advantage. The assault continued into both overtime periods with the Knights holding the shot advantage, 6-3.
First-year goalie Kennedy Solymosi made nine saves for the Knights. Seton Hill’s goalkeeper, Jessica Neill, made 12 saves. Lewis led Gannon’s offensive pursuit with nine shots followed by Hays with six.
The Knights also held a 9-1 edge in corner kicks.
Following Wednesday’s match with Mansfield, Gannon will host Indiana University of Pennsylvania at 5 p.m. Saturday at McConnell Family Stadium.
KEEFER GREGOIRE
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