The Gannon University women’s soccer team capped off its season Saturday by beating No. 22 Millersville, 4-0, on Senior Night at McConnell Family Stadium.
Knights coach Colin Petersen said the win – the Knights’ sixth shutout of the season — was a big one for his team.
“It’s been a long time coming,” he said in an interview posted on the Gannon sports website. “We’ve been in a lot of games, but we just haven’t been getting results.”
Beating Millersville 4-0, however, “says a little something about our quality,” Petersen said. “It’s disappointing not to make the playoffs, but it was a terrific way to end the season.”
Defender Nicole Felice, forward Amberlynn Kegler and midfielder Rachel Grubbs were honored during the Senior Night ceremony.
Kegler celebrated by scoring the first goal of the game in the 16th minute. Hannah Hays sent a cross into the box, which Kegler was able to slip past the Millersville goalkeeper.
Aesling McCullough added to the 1-0 lead in the 28th minute when she back healed another Hays’ cross behind the goalkeeper.
The Knights’ offensive pursuit was relentless. In the 36th minute, Emily Cekella scored a goal off a rebound from Taylor Lewis’ shot on goal.
Cekella capped Gannon’s scoring pursuit in the 71st minute. McCullough sent a long pass ahead of Cekella to pick up the assist.
Hannah Pufpaff made five saves in 73 minutes in goal. The Knights’ defense held the PSAC scoring leader, Kay Liebel, to just three shots in the match. Liebel leads with 39 goals.
Millersville outshot Gannon, 13-10, while Gannon recorded two corner kicks to Millersville’s one.
On Wednesday, the Knights scored first in the 28th minute against Cal U when Maddie North sent a corner kick soaring into the box to reach Lewis for a header into the back of the net.
Lewis continued the pressure, as she scored her 10th goal of the season four minutes later. Megan McCartney led Lewis with a long pass, and she scored in the top right corner of the goal.
The Vulcans broke through in the 48th minute, but Gannon made it 3-1 when Vanessa Coccurello scored on a corner kick from McCartney.
Kennedy Solymosi had her third win of the season in goal, making one save.
Gannon severely outshot the Vulcans in the win, 22-6, and also held the advantage in corner kicks, 5-0.
KEEFER GREGOIRE
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