SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – It wasn't the second half that the Gannon women's soccer team would have wanted, but the Golden Knights still achieved one goal in a 3-3 tie with Slippery Rock on Tuesday.
By picking up one point in the PSAC West standings, the Golden Knights clinched at least second place in the Western Division and secured a home quarterfinal game on Monday in the PSAC Tournament.
Gannon was tied with Mercyhurst with a division-leading 37 points before the Lakers faced Edinboro on Tuesday night. The Knights are now 12-3-2 overall and 12-2-1 in the PSAC West with one contest remaining, a home game with IUP on Friday at 3 p.m.
Slippery Rock (12-3-3 overall) closed the regular season in third place in the PSAC West with 36 points after finishing with an 11-2-3 record.
Coach
Colin Petersen's Gannon team had an outstanding first half, taking a 3-0 lead.
Freshman midfielder
Grace Emanuel (Erie, Pa./McDowell) opened the scoring at SRU's James Egli Field at the 5:45 mark of the first half when she directed a freshman forward
Brooklyn Respecki (McKean, Pa./General McLane) pass between the Slippery Rock goalie and a defender from directly in front of the goal.
Junior midfielder
Paige Taylor (Robina, Australia/Emmanuel College) then scored twice within in a five-minute span late in the half. Respecki found Taylor with a crossing pass at the 36:21 mark, and Taylor put the ball in the back of the net.
Then, at the 40:58 mark, Taylor scored again on a similar play after Respecki hit her with a pass near the top of the box on the left side. Emanuel also was credited with an assist after first feeding a pass to Respecki. With two goals, Taylor matched her career total coming into the game.
Slippery Rock made a relentless comeback in the second half as Ashley Rea scored at the 53:05 mark and again at the 61:32 mark. Rea then converted the hat trick with less than 5 minutes remaining on a penalty kick. Her first attempt was saved by Gannon goalie
Morgan Sinan (Cranberry Twp., Pa./Seneca Valley), but Rea booted home the rebound.
Respecki finished with three assists as she bumped her team-leading total to 31 points. Emanuel tied Respecki for the team lead with 10 goals and moved her point total to 24.
Gannon will celebrate Senior Day on Friday when it hosts IUP.
