WEST CHESTER, Pa. – No. 4 Millersville and No. 2 West Chester played to a scoreless deadlock through 59 minutes, but with just 40 seconds remaining in regulation, Emma Velez scored off a penalty corner to give the homestanding Golden Rams a 1-0 victory.
West Chester improved to 7-1 overall and remained unbeaten in PSAC play at 2-0. The game was just the second on the road for Millersville, which fell to 8-1 (1-1 PSAC).
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
• West Chester overcame an aggressive Millersville start by holding a statistical advantage over the final three quarters. After Millersville out-shot West Chester 5-0 in the first quarter, West Chester held a 16-3 edge in shots and a 10-1 advantage in corners over the final three 15-minute sessions.
• West Chester put significant pressure on Millersville freshman goalkeeper
Kerstin Koons, who finished with a career-high six saves. The attack was unrelenting in the final two minutes with West Chester earning three corners in that span. On the first corner, with 1:14 left to play, Taylor Giesel made a defensive save as a the final line of defense for the Marauders. Koons then made another save on a Velez shot with 43 seconds left. But with West Chester scored another corner. The insert included Dara Spavlik and Valerie van Kuijck, and Velez quickly ripped the set up for the game-winner and her third goal of the season.
• Millersville's best scoring chance in the second half came in the closing seconds of the third quarter when
Morgan Saunders' shot off a penalty corner insert was saved. Millersville could not create a single scoring opportunity in the fourth.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• Saunders,
Brynne Ehrlacher and
Kristin Strijdom led Millersville with two shots apiece. Saunders put both of her shots on goal.
• West Chester's Claire Nielsen made four saves.
REACTION FROM COACH SHELLY BEHRENS
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Overall thoughts on the game: "We played very well. It was a fun game to coach and our kids really competed and went after this one. It was such a hard-fought game, and we will take a look and sort out what we need to address."
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On the play of the defense: "We had good goalkeeping today. (Koons) and our team defense kept us in the match.
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On what can be learned form a close loss: "We will learn for sure from this and get better. It is what we do. I am very proud of our team performance and look forward to our next game."
NOTES
• After making just eight saves in Millersville's first seven games, Koons has made 10 in the last two. She and the Millersville defense have still yet to allow more than one goal in a game.
• Millersville entered the game averaging 5.1 goals per game. It was the first time this season that the Marauders were shutout.
UP NEXT
• Millersville travels to West Chester for a key PSAC match-up on Wednesday, Sept. 29. Start time is 4 p.m.
