Box Score
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - For the first time in program history, the Gannon women's soccer team earned a spot in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Final Four with a 1-0 upset over No. 15 Slippery Rock on Tuesday evening at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Sophomore Amanda Gallant (Brampton, Ontario / Cardinal Leger SS) scored in the 29th minute of play, as the No. 7 seed Lady Knights held on for the victory over No. 2 seed and reigning conference champion Slippery Rock.
With this evening's victory over No. 15 Slippery Rock, the Lady Knights will face No. 6 seed West Chester. In conference quarterfinal action, No. 6 seed West Chester upset No. 3 seed Kutztown, 2-1, rallying from a 1-0 deficit with a pair of first-half tallies for the win.
After capturing the 2010 PSAC title as the top seed with a 4-3 win in penalty kicks over California, the Golden Rams have fallen in the quarterfinals in 2011 and 2012. The official time of the match has not been announced.
Gallant capitalized on her lone shot on goal for the only tally of the match. Sophomore Kaitlyn Kissell (Erie, Pa. / Villa Maria Academy) recorded her first assist of the season and fourth of her career. Senior goalkeeper Sarah Geffel (Apollo, Pa. / Kiski Area) earned her third shutout of the season in her first postseason appearance.
Following a slow start to the match, the first shot came in the 23rd minute, as junior Justine Rodrigues (Georgetown, Ontario / Georgetown District) pushed her shot just wide to the left. Advancing into the Slippery Rock end, the Lady Knights managed to take an opportunity off a loose rebound.
In the 29th minute of play, Kissell's initial header was stopped by SRU goalkeeper Dana O'Neill with a diving save. O'Neill was unable to maintain control of the ball, as Gallant buried the loose rebound into an empty net for a Gannon 1-0 lead.
To close out the first-half action, each team only generated a shot each with Kissell's second header sailing over the net.
With solid play by the Lady Knights' defense, The Rock were held to no shots on goal. After scoring the go-ahead goal, the Lady Knights controlled the match with strong defensive play by smothering any forward progress toward the goal by Slippery Rock.
The last shot came in the 85th minute, as Slippery Rock leading scorer Andrea Felix ripped a shot wide left.
The Rock came within feet of forcing extra time with five minutes remaining in the match. On a two on none breakaway, a miscue by a Slippery Rock forward resulted in a missed connection after she slipped inside the box, allowing the ball to roll past the post.
Gannon held a 9-3 shot advantage over Slippery Rock. The Lady Knights held The Rock to one shot in the first half. The Rock finished the match with season lows in shots (3) and shots on goal (0).
Also in PSAC action, No. 1 seed California (Pa.) handled No. 8 seed Mercyhurst, 5-0, relying on a three-goal lead in the first half. The last match resulted in penalty kicks after two scoreless extra sessions, as No. 4 seed Edinboro fell to No. 5 seed Shippensburg, 4-3.
Entering the contest, Slippery Rock was ranked first in the NCAA Atlantic Region rankings released on Oct. 30 with Gannon ranked fourth. The Rock finish with a 12-3-2 overall record and 12-3-2 record in the region, while the Lady Knights hold a 10-7-1 record and 10-6-1 in-region record. Through the NCAA Atlantic Region rankings, the top six seeds will earn a berth in the NCAA Division II Tournament.
Gannon's win snapped Slippery Rock's nine-game unbeaten streak, eliminating the reigning champion Rock from the conference tournament. Among SRU's three total losses, Gannon has accounted for two of them. On Oct. 2, the then-25th ranked Lady Knights defeated then-11th ranked Slippery Rock, 2-1, at Gannon University Field in Erie, Pa.
The Lady Knights' win over Slippery Rock in the PSAC Tournament marked the second straight year that a seventh seed upset a second seed in the quarterfinals. Last season, eventual champion Slippery Rock defeated West Chester, 2-1.
Gannon will prepare to face No. 6 seed West Chester in a PSAC semifinal match on Friday, Nov. 8. Stay tuned to GannonSports.com for an official start time.
