CALIFORNIA, Pa. – Some familiar scoring combinations powered the Gannon women's soccer team to its eighth consecutive victory on Saturday afternoon.

Freshmen Grace Emanuel (Erie, Pa./McDowell) and Brooklyn Respecki (McKean, Pa./General McLane), the team's two leading scorers, tallied first-half goals, and graduate student Leah Bermudez (Milton, Ontario/Jean Vanier Catholic) added a second-half goal as the Golden Knights claimed a 3-1 victory over the Vulcans at the Phillipsburg Soccer Facility.

Coach Colin Petersen's Gannon team improved to 10-2-1 overall and 10-1-0 in the PSAC West. The Knights now have 30 points in the standings and are three points behind first-place Mercyhurst (11-0). They are 10 points ahead of third-place Slippery Rock and are close to clinching a PSAC Tournament berth with five games to play.
 

Freshmen strike again

The Golden Knights have received significant contributions from freshmen all season, and Emanuel and Respecki have been among the leaders of their class.

Emanuel, a midfielder, opened the scoring at the 7:29 mark on Saturday when she found an opening in the Cal defense, took a pass from junior Gabby Boden (Butler, Pa./Butler), and scored to the left of the goalie.
Respecki then struck about 17 minutes later when she got loose on a breakaway and lifted a shot into the net to the left of the Cal goalie.

That gave Gannon a 2-0 lead, which Gannon preserved until halftime.

About 13 minutes into the second half, Cal scored when Meja Haakansson tapped in Bella Gilberto's crossing pass to cut the lead to 2-1.

Gannon capped the scoring less than 4 minutes later when Bermudez, a defender scored on a header off a corner kick from Boden. It was the third goal of the season for Bermudez, and the third time she has scored off a corner kick from Boden.
 

Racking up points

Respecki's goal gave her nine on the season as she expanded her PSAC lead to two goals. Respecki also leads the PSAC with 25 points, 76 shots, and 42 shots on goal. She is tied for fourth with seven assists.

Emanuel is now tied for second in the league with seven goals and tied for fifth with 16 points.

Boden ranks sixth in the PSAC with six assists.

 
Nice shots

Gannon has outshot teams heavily throughout the season, and on Saturday the Knights outshot the Vulcans 17-7. GU finished with a 10-4 edge in shots on goal.

The Knights are now 11-0-1 in their past 12 meetings with the Vulcans.
 

What's ahead

Gannon will play its second consecutive road game on Saturday, Oct. 21, when it visits Mercyhurst in a showdown between the top two teams in the PSAC West. Gannon has not lost since dropping a 4-2 decision to the Lakers on Sept. 16.