Mani Brueckner
Joe Mattis
Gannon's dream season came to an end at 18-3 overall, surpassing the program's previous record for victories by five.
2
Winner Edinboro EDIN (15-7-1)
1
Gannon University GAN (18-3)
Winner
Edinboro EDIN
(15-7-1)
2
Final
1
Gannon University GAN
(18-3)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 OT 1 F
Edinboro EDIN 0 1 1 2
Gannon University GAN 0 1 0 1

Game Recap: Women's Soccer | | Dan Teliski, Assistant Director of Athletics for Media Relations

No. 7 Gannon Women's Soccer Team's Season Ends in Overtime of NCAA Tournament Second Round (Photos/Video)

THE RUNDOWN
  • Final Score: Edinboro 2, at Gannon 1 (ot)
  • Records: Gannon (18-3), Edinboro (15-7-1)
  • Location: Erie, Pa. - McConnell Family Stadium
  • The Short Story: Edinboro's Halle Hammer slipped a shot past a diving goalkeeper 1:49 into overtime as the Fighting Scots eliminated Gannon from the NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Tournament Sunday afternoon by a 2-1 score in front of a large second-round crowd at McConnell Family Stadium.

GAMEDAY MEDIA CENTER
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • Neither team was able to score during the first half despite several scoring opportunities.
  • The first came in the 11th minute when an Edinboro header off a corner kick was directed inside the left post, but Gannon senior Lindsey Green (Altoona, Pa./Altoona) turned the shot away for a team save.
  • Sixteen seconds later, junior Shannon Differ (Brampton, Ontario/Notre Dame C.S.S.) out-jumped an Edinboro attacker to a free ball in front of the net.
  • Gannon had a near-miss in the 29th minute when a crossing pass was intercepted by the Edinboro goalkeeper with senior Michelle Genetin (Navarre, Ohio/Perry) waiting for an uncontested header.
  • Edinboro had one last chance with 2:17 remaining in the first half when a pass through the defense created a breakaway from 35 yards out, but the Fighting Scots were called for being off-sides.
  • After a slow start to the second half, the action picked up in the 63rd minute.
  • Edinboro drew first blood at the 62:14 mark when Ashley Mutkus took a pass from Jansen Hartmann and drilled a shot into the upper left corner from 25 yards out on the right side for a 1-0 lead.
  • Before the crowd had time to settled back into its seats, Gannon answered with the tying goal 24 seconds later. Senior Mani Brueckner (Valencia, Pa./Mars Area) scored the tying goal off an assist from senior Sammy Valloud (Erie, Pa./McDowell).
  • Gannon controlled the rest of regulation, taking the final 10 shots of the second half. The Lady Knights had a chance to take the lead in the 73rd minute when Brueckner beat a defender to a free kick from the midfield, but her header went inches over the crossbar.
  • In the 79th minute, Edinboro goalkeeper Sarah Baskey barely got a hand on a shot by senior Ally Sharpe (Holley, N.Y./Brockport) to tip the ball just over the crossbar.
  • Despite an 11-2 edge in second-half shots, Gannon eventually went to overtime tied at one.
  • Edinboro had two scoring chances during the opening 109 seconds of overtime. The first by Alex Brown was stopped by Differ. However, Hammer converted the second chance 1:49 into the extra session. She took a pass that split a pair of defenders in front and slipped the game-winning shot past a diving goalkeeper as she fell to the ground at the same time.

GAME NOTES
  • Gannon is ranked No. 7 in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Top 25 Poll after holding the No. 1 spot in four consecutive polls earlier this season. It represented the first No. 1 ranking in the program's 29-year history.
  • The Lady Knights entered the NCAA Tournament as the Atlantic Region's top seed. Edinboro was the region's fourth seed. 
  • Gannon held advantages in shots (16-12), corner kicks (10-2) and fewest fouls (7-11).
  • The Lady Knights out-shot their 16th consecutive opponent.
  • Differ made three saves between the pipes.
  • Brueckner's goal was her 18th of the season.
  • Valloud's assist represented her seventh of the campaign.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
  • Gannon hosted an NCAA Tournament match for the first time in program history.
  • The Lady Knights were making their third NCAA Tournament appearance during the last seven seasons after participating in the 2009 and 2012 NCAA Division II Atlantic Regionals.
  • Gannon finished with a school record 18 victories, surpassing the previous mark set by the 2012 team that finished 13-4-2.
  • Brueckner set a Gannon single-season record with her 18th goal, snapping a tie with Amanda Sharbaugh (2011).
  • Valloud became the eighth Lady Knight in program history to record 50 career points.
  • Brueckner recorded a point for the 10th consecutive match, giving her at least one point in 18 of 21 matches this season. 
  • Valloud's eighth career assist moved her into a tie for 17th place all-time at Gannon with Carrie Waszeciak and Julie Piazza (1997-00).
  • Differ ended the season with a 0.92 goals against average, representing the third-lowest in school history. 
  • Edinboro won on Gannon's home turf for the second consecutive time after being winless in six attempts since the Lady Knights joined the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC). Gannon was 5-0-1 during the previous six match-ups at home. The Fighting Scots posted a 3-1 victory at McConnell Family Stadium during the PSAC semifinals on November 6.
  • Overall, Gannon was 5-0-3 against Edinboro during the previous eight battles between the two rivals before last week's PSAC semifinal contest.
  • Gannon set a new single-season team record with 48 goals, eclipsing the previous mark of 43 set in 1992 and 2008.
  • The Lady Knights tied the program's single-season record for assists (32) previously set by the 1999 squad.

UP NEXT
  • Gannon concluded its 2015-16 season with Sunday's result.
  • Edinboro will face sixth seed East Stroudsburg in next week's NCAA Division II Atlantic Region title match. The Warriors posted a 3-0 victory at second seed West Virginia Wesleyan Sunday afternoon.
  • The regional championship is a rematch of last Sunday's PSAC title contest won by East Stroudsburg 2-1 in overtime at McConnell Family Stadium.
  • Bridgeport (Conn.) will host the Edinboro-East Stroudsburg contest with a day and time to be announced.
Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Mani Brueckner

#23 Mani Brueckner

F/MF
5' 7"
Senior
Engineering
Shannon Differ

#31 Shannon Differ

GK
5' 10"
Junior
Sport and Exercise Science
Michelle Genetin

#16 Michelle Genetin

F
5' 4"
Redshirt Senior
Nutrition and Human Performance
Lindsey Green

#25 Lindsey Green

D
5' 2"
Senior
Elementary Education/Special Education
Ally Sharpe

#14 Ally Sharpe

MF
5' 6"
Senior
Marketing
Sammy Valloud

#10 Sammy Valloud

F/MF
5' 6"
Senior
Sport and Exercise Science

Players Mentioned

Mani Brueckner

#23 Mani Brueckner

5' 7"
Senior
Engineering
F/MF
Shannon Differ

#31 Shannon Differ

5' 10"
Junior
Sport and Exercise Science
GK
Michelle Genetin

#16 Michelle Genetin

5' 4"
Redshirt Senior
Nutrition and Human Performance
F
Lindsey Green

#25 Lindsey Green

5' 2"
Senior
Elementary Education/Special Education
D
Ally Sharpe

#14 Ally Sharpe

5' 6"
Senior
Marketing
MF
Sammy Valloud

#10 Sammy Valloud

5' 6"
Senior
Sport and Exercise Science
F/MF