ERIE, Pa – The Gannon University women's soccer team came out with purpose on a chilly Wednesday night at McConnell Family Stadium, scorching the net with five goals to defeat Clarion, 5-0, claiming a seventh consecutive victory and fourth consecutive shutout (the school's most since keeping five straight clean sheets during a Sept. 13 to Sept. 27 stretch in 2017.) Seniors Taylor Lewis (Erie, Pa./Harbor Creek) and Laurel Prokopchak (Erie, Pa./Harbor Creek) were standouts on the scoresheet—Lewis scored her first career hat trick while Prokopchak tallied two goals and an assist—but the entire team played its energetic high-pressure game to perfection. Lewis now moves into a tie with Mani Brieckner (2012-15) for second-most all-time on the career goals list with 46, five behind the 51 of all-time leader Amanda Sharbaugh (2008-11.)

The victory leapfrogs Gannon (now 11-2-2 in conference play) into first place in the PSAC West with 35 points, one point above idle Slippery Rock and Mercyhurst, who defeated Indiana (Pa.) 2-0 in other Wednesday action. The final day of the regular season—this Saturday, Nov. 6—will determine final PSAC playoff seeding and features a critical match between Gannon and Slippery Rock.
 
The scoring began for the Golden Knights in the sixth minute, as freshman Gabby Boden (Butler, Pa./Butler) fought for the ball at the edge of the box against a pair of Clarion defenders. Boden was able to boot the ball ahead for the charging Lewis, who burst through and won the one-on-one battle with Clarion keeper Alexandra Velez, powering home the first goal of the game. She would not have to wait long for her second, as just fifty seconds later, Prokopchak threaded a great ball behind the defense to earn Lewis another look at goal. Going for finesse over power, Lewis bent the ball around the keeper and let it roll all the way into the bottom left corner to make it a 2-0 game.
 
The Knights put in a third in the 21^st minute after a Kayla Bevacqua (Welland, Ontario/Notre Dame) shot forced Velez to make a diving save to her left, parrying the ball right to Lewis at the near post. The follow-up shot bounced off the post but found its way right to Prokopchak, who fired the ball into the open net for the 3-0 lead. Lewis scored her third goal in the 41^st minute from a free kick, driving the ball into the top right corner for her 10^th goal of the season. The only goal of the second half came in the 51^st minute from another set piece, as Megan McCartney (Chicora, Pa./Karns City) whipped in a beautiful cross directly to the head of Prokopchak, who directed it in for her third goal of the fall campaign.
 
Gannon out-shot Clarion 24-8 (10-2 in shots on target) and earned six corner kicks to the Golden Eagles' one. The comfortable lead allowed the Knights to use 12 different substitutes and earn some rest for the starting lineup, which could be important heading into Saturday's matchup with Slippery Rock.
 
The Rock has not played since Oct. 30 and will have a week of rest heading into the 1:00 p.m kickoff with Gannon at McConnell Family Stadium this Saturday, Nov. 6—where a Golden Knights victory would clinch the PSAC West title.