Victoria Wheeler
Mike Gallagher

Women's Soccer Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Match Preview: Gannon Seeks Sixth Straight Win as UPJ Visits McConnell Family Stadium for Soctober Celebration

PITT-JOHNSTOWN (1-6-3, 1-5-2 PSAC West) at GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS (7-2-1, 7-1-0 PSAC West)
DATE/TIME: Saturday, October 7, 2023 | 5:00 p.m.
STADIUM/LOCATION: McConnell Family Stadium l Erie, Pa.
LIVE STATS
LIVE VIDEO
 
 
THE GANNON-PITT-JOHNSTOWN SERIES
Gannon leads 12-2-0
UPJ snapped a four-game losing streak to Gannon in the first meeting in 2022, prevailing 1-0 in Johnstown. The Golden Knights returned the favor with a 4-1 victory a month later to end the regular season and then handed the Mountain Cats a 6-0 defeat on September 11. Gannon won the first six meetings in the series.

Last Meeting: Sept. 11, 2023 – Gannon 6, at Pitt-Johnstown 0 | RECAP
Originally scheduled for September 9, the match was bumped back two days due to lightning in the area. It was worth the wait for the Golden Knights, as four different freshmen accounted for five of Gannon's six goals. The six goals were the most scored by Gannon since a 7-1 win over Indiana (Pa.) on Oct. 28, 2014. Brooklyn Respecki (McKean, Pa./General McLane) scored a pair of goals, while Grace Emanuel (Erie, Pa./McDowell), Amelyia Bretz and Victoria Wheeler (Bordentown, N.J./Bordentown Regional) scored a goal apiece. Sammie Dales (Conneautville, Pa./Homeschool) scored the other Gannon goal. The Golden Knights outshot UPJ 22-5. Morgan Sinan (Cranberry Twp., Pa./Seneca Valley) played the first 63 minutes in goal with Jordan August (Morgantown, W. Va./Morgantown) finishing up the shutout.


ERIE, Pa. – Gannon hosts Soctober Celebration on Saturday, October 7 with Pitt-Johnstown visiting McConnell Family Stadium. The match signifies the beginning of the second half of divisional play in the PSAC, with the action getting underway at 5:00 p.m.

The Golden Knights posted an impressive rally on Wednesday at Indiana (Pa.). Trailing 2-1 with less than 20 minutes remaining, Ella Fadale (Brockport, N.Y./Brockport) knotted the score at 2-2 at 72:50 and two minutes later freshman Grace Emanuel (Erie, Pa./McDowell) tallied the game-winning goal for a 3-2 victory.

The Golden Knights have run off five straight wins to improve to 7-2-1 overall and 7-1-0 in the PSAC West. They remain three points behind Mercyhurst (24 to 21) as the Lakers have run out to an 9-1-0 start and 8-0-0 in league play. After being picked to finish first in the Western Division in the preseason poll the Golden Knights have used a combination of experience and youth to live up to those expectations. In particular, the winning streak has been fueled by the return to health of Leah Bermudez (Milton, Ontario/Jean Vanier Catholic) in the back end and freshmen Brooklyn Respecki (McKean, Pa./General McLane) and Grace Emanuel (Erie, Pa./McDowell) forming a lethal pair on offense. Head coach Colin Petersen has received contributions from a myriad of players. 

Gannon looks for a season sweep of Pitt-Johnstown after a 6-0 win over the Mountain Cats earlier in the season. UPJ comes in at 1-6-3 overall and is 1-5-2 in the PSAC West after being picked to finish eighth in the division.

Last Time Out
With less than 20 minutes to play Gannon found itself trailing at Indiana (Pa.) 2-1 after the two teams combined for three goals in the first 22 minutes. The Golden Knights scored the equalizer on Ella Fadale's (Brockport, N.Y./Brockport) fourth goal of the season, assisted by Brooklyn Respecki (McKean, Pa./General McLane) at 72:50. They were in attack mode two minutes later, with Grace Emanuel (Erie, Pa./McDowell) notching her fifth goal of the season for the game-winner at 75:51 in a 3-2 victory. Leah Bermudez (Milton, Ontario/Jean Vanier Catholic) assisted on the goal after scoring Gannon's first goal. Gannon held a 21-10 advantage in shots. The victory extended Gannon's winning streak to five games.

Head Coach: Former Gannon soccer great Colin Petersen is in his 24th season with the Gannon soccer program and 22nd as the head coach of the women's soccer program in 2023. Petersen, who has also spent time in a dual position as an assistant for the men's program, was hired as the seventh head coach in the history of the women's program on February 13, 2002. Petersen is the winningest and longest-tenured coach in the 36-year history of the Gannon women's soccer program. He was inducted into the Gannon Athletics Hall of Fame as a player in 2017. Petersen has a school-record 195 career coaching victories, holding more than 100 wins than the closest coach. Petersen owns an overall record of 195-159-37. Gannon has produced a .500 record or better during 14 of the last 15 seasons under Petersen. The Golden Knights have qualified for the PSAC Tournament 11 times in Petersen's tenure, with six NCAA Tournament appearances.

Respecki Named PSAC West Athlete of the Week
For the second week in a row Gannon captured the PSAC West Athlete of the Week as Brooklyn Respecki (McKean, Pa./General McLane) earned the honor this week. The forward is one half of Gannon's high-scoring freshman tandem and finished with three goals and an assist while leading Gannon to a 4-2 victory over Slippery Rock and a 2-0 win over Seton Hill last week. Against Slippery Rock on Sept. 27, Respecki had a goal and an assist. Her assist came on one of fellow freshman Grace Emanuel's (Erie, Pa./McDowell) three goals. On Saturday, Respecki accounted for all of Gannon's scoring against Seton Hill, scoring once in each half. Through nine games, Respecki is tied for the PSAC lead with seven goals and is tied for 12th in NCAA Division II. She has at least one point in nine of Gannon's ten games and leads the PSAC with 19 points.
 
Emanuel Records First Career Hat Trick vs. SRU as Freshmen Continue to Excel
Last year as high school seniors at local schools Grace Emanuel (Erie, Pa./McDowell) and Brooklyn Respecki (McKean, Pa./General McLane) for the honor of top player in the area. In a recruiting coup, head coach Colin Petersen hauled in both standouts along with a number of other local and out-of-town recruits. Emanuel, from nearby McDowell High School, missed the first two games with an injury but it was her turn to shine recently. She scored the first three goals for the Golden Knights in a 4-2 win over Slippery Rock. While appearing in just nine matches she has scored five goals. Respecki, from nearby General McLane High School, had the fourth goal of the match along with an assist on the first goal. She leads the team with seven goals and five assists. Petersen has relied on numerous freshman this year, with first-year players accounting for 16 of Gannon's 29 goals.

Scouting Pitt-Johnstown
UPJ is off to a 1-6-3 start and is 1-5-2 in PSAC West action. The Mountain Cats picked up their lone win of the season with a 2-1 triumph at California (Pa.) on September 20. Since that time they have a pair of ties and a loss, with their last match a 2-2 tied vs. Clarion on Wednesday. UPJ has scored 10 goals while being shut out four times. UPJ was picked to eighth in the Western Division following a 4-10-4 finish last year. Redshirt junior midfielder/forward Haley Leidig has scored two of the team's three goals this season, with Sophia Lamesta scoring the other goal. Abby Jackson has a pair of assists. Redshirt freshman Parker Grimm has seen the majority of action in goal and has a 4.02 GAA.

Next for the Golden Knights
Gannon wraps up its two-game homestand on Wednesday, October 11 hosting local rival Edinboro. The Golden Knights are looking to sweep the season series after a 3-1 win at the Boro on September 6. The match gets underway at 3:00 p.m. at McConnell Family Stadium. 
 
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Players Mentioned

Jordan August

#1 Jordan August

GK
5' 8"
Graduate Student
Physical Therapy
Leah Bermudez

#2 Leah Bermudez

D
5' 4"
Graduate Student
Psychology
Sammie Dales

#10 Sammie Dales

F
5' 6"
Graduate Student
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Ella Fadale

#17 Ella Fadale

M
5' 6"
Sophomore
Morgan Sinan

#0 Morgan Sinan

GK
5' 7"
Senior
Cybersecurity
Brooklyn Respecki

#7 Brooklyn Respecki

F
5' 3"
Freshman
Exercise Science
Grace Emanuel

#24 Grace Emanuel

M
5' 3"
Freshman
Victoria Wheeler

#42 Victoria Wheeler

D
5' 5"
Freshman
Nutritional Science

Players Mentioned

Jordan August

#1 Jordan August

5' 8"
Graduate Student
Physical Therapy
GK
Leah Bermudez

#2 Leah Bermudez

5' 4"
Graduate Student
Psychology
D
Sammie Dales

#10 Sammie Dales

5' 6"
Graduate Student
Doctor of Physical Therapy
F
Ella Fadale

#17 Ella Fadale

5' 6"
Sophomore
M
Morgan Sinan

#0 Morgan Sinan

5' 7"
Senior
Cybersecurity
GK
Brooklyn Respecki

#7 Brooklyn Respecki

5' 3"
Freshman
Exercise Science
F
Grace Emanuel

#24 Grace Emanuel

5' 3"
Freshman
M
Victoria Wheeler

#42 Victoria Wheeler

5' 5"
Freshman
Nutritional Science
D