The Gannon women's soccer team overcame an early deficit and extended its unbeaten streak to eight games with a 2-1 victory over California (PA) on Saturday afternoon at McConnell Family Stadium.

June Monasterio (Bilbao, Spain/Claret Askartza) tied the game with her first career goal late in the first half, and Sarah Fails (Girard, Pa./Villa Maria) put Gannon ahead for good in the second half.

Coach Colin Petersen's Gannon team improved to 6-1-2 overall and 5-0-2 in the PSAC West. The Golden Knights moved into a first-place tie with Mercyhurst as each team has 17 points in the standings. However, Gannon beat Mercyhurst 2-1 on Wednesday.

California, which dropped to 1-5-2 and 1-4-2, had entered Saturday's game having scored only three goals in seven games.

However, the Vulcans struck early against Gannon as Christyana Sims found the right corner of the goal just 11:39 into the game, thanks to an assist from Lindsie Galbreath.

Gannon controlled play for much of that game after that point but struggled to score for most of the first half. Then, with about a minute remaining, Monasterio, a freshman midfielder, delivered her big moment.

Ella Fadale (Brockport, N.Y./Brockport) fed a nice pass between two defenders to Monasterio, who was sprinting down the left side. She cut toward the middle at the top of the box and chipped the ball to Logan Nicklas (Allison Park, Pa./Hampton), who one-timed it back to Monasterio. She took the feed and blistered a kick into the lower right side of the goal for a 1-1 tie. Nicklas got the assist on the play.

The game stayed tied until the later stages of the second half.

Fails, a senior forward, then used outstanding ball handling to weave her way between three Cal defenders at the left corner of the box before blasting a kick between two defenders and into the left side of the net. The goal gave Gannon a 2-1 lead with 15:34 to go.

Gannon and goalie Morgan Sinan (Cranberry Twp., Pa./Seneca Valley) protected the lead the rest of the way. Sinan earned the win but had to make only two saves because of solid defense in front of her.

Gannon will return to the pitch Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. in a PSAC West game at Pitt-Johnstown.