ERIE, Pa. – The Gannon women's soccer team will try to remain red hot at home Saturday, October 8 when it hosts East Stroudsburg in another important Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) match at Gannon University Field. Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Live gameday statistics will be available at
http://www.gannon.edu/athletics/women/soccer/lstats/xlive.htm.
Gannon has been extremely successful at home, posting a 5-1-1 mark at Gannon University Field. The only loss of the season in Erie came against 16th-ranked Kutztown. Unfortunately for the team, Saturday's home match will be Gannon's second-to-last of the season. The Lady Knights will play four consecutive road contests after Saturday, before hosting rival Mercyhurst October 29 in the regular-season finale.
Every match continues to be important in the midst of the stretch run. Gannon resides in eighth place in the PSAC with 12 points, owning a two-point lead over ninth-place Millersville. The top eight teams will qualify for the PSAC post-season tournament at the end of the regular season. Meanwhile, the Lady Knights are only one point behind seventh-place Bloomsburg and three points behind sixth-place West Chester.
Gannon, ranked ninth in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Atlantic regional rankings, brings a 5-3-3 overall record and 3-3-3 PSAC mark into the weekend. The Lady Knights have tied three matches during their current 1-2-3 run over the last six matches.
Amanda Sharbaugh (Sarver, Pa./Knoch) has accounted for 13 of Gannon's 18 goals this season. The senior leads all NCAA Division II players in goals and points (28). She needs two goals to tie Gannon's single-season record, a mark she already shares with Erin Cray.
Justine Rodrigues (Georgetown, Ontario/Georgetown District) has scored four goals while
Michelle Genetin (Navarre, Ohio/Perry) has added one score.
Maggie Brinkman (Clarence Center, N.Y./Clarence) has played every minute in goal, producing a 1.70 goals against average and .756 save percentage.
East Stroudsburg rides a three-match losing streak into Saturday's contest, owning a 4-6-1 overall record and 1-6-1 conference slate. The Warriors are 1-6-1 in their last eight matches after opening the season with three consecutive victories.
Junior Cree Julian, redshirt sophomore Carly Collins and sophomore Kerri McClay headline the offensive unit with three goals each. Three goalkeepers have seen action between the pipes. Sophomore Brittain Wagner has started the most times, producing a 2.36 goals against average and .723 save percentage in six matches.
East Stroudsburg earned a 3-2 home victory last season during the only all-time meeting between the two schools. The Warriors scored the game-winner in the 84th minute after Gannon had rallied from a two-goal, second-half deficit.
