Women’s Soccer Falls to Rutgers in a Close Game
The Penn State women’s soccer team (12-2, 7-1 B1G) couldn’t overcome a 20th ranked Rutgers team (10-1-1, 6-1-1 B1G) and a strong showing by the away supporters on a beautiful Fall evening on Saturday at Jeffrey Field, falling 1-0 in the Kick for the Cure game.
Rutgers pressured the Penn State defense right from the opening whistle, with a scoring chance in the first minute called back for offside and another that was shot just wide a few minutes later. The Scarlet Knights continued to move the ball forward as the Lady Lions were unable to possess the ball and find a rhythm.
Penn State started showing signs of life as Salina Williford made some mazy runs through the defense and put the team’s first shot just wide about twenty minutes in. Despite her and the rest of the offense’s efforts, the team was unable to break down a stingy Rutgers defense.
The Lady Lions would go down into the half down 1-0 as the stalemate was finally broken about 29 minutes in as Rutgers midfielder Madison Tiernan made a nice run from the edge to the top of the box and struck the ball past the fingertips of goalkeeper Britt Eckerstrom and into the top corner.
Rutgers again started strong in the second half, firing wide just one minute in. This time, Penn State was able to answer much quicker as Frannie Crouse nearly took advantage of a miscommunication between the Rutgers defense and keeper, but she was unable to get to the ball before it crossed the end line.
The offensive onslaught by each team continued as Rutgers nearly capitalized on a cross that was poked past Eckerstrom, and knocked off the crossbar in the ensuing scramble in front of the net. Unfortunately, the Lady Lions’ Elizabeth Ball was hurt on the play and she would not return.
The teams continued to play evenly throughout the rest of the half as Williford made yet another great run and shot, but neither team could put the ball in the net.
As the game entered the final ten minutes, Penn State began to press forward and dominate offensively as they searched for the equalizer. Two crosses by Haleigh Echard fell in front of the goal before being cleared, and Katy Keen nearly scored from the top of the box with 5 minutes left. The best effort of the night for the Lady Lions came when a long shot beat the keeper and brushed the post with three minutes remaining.
“I thought we had a lot more chances in the second half. Unfortunately, we just couldn’t find the back of the net,” said head coach Erica Walsh.
As the game came to a close, the team got one last look with 30 seconds left but the Rutgers goalkeeper remained strong. In the end, the first half goal by Tiernan would prove to be the difference.
The Lady Lions’ next game is Thursday, October 16 at Michigan at 7 p.m.
Benjamin Forwood is a senior majoring in Accounting. To contact him, email byf5059@psu.edu.
