Maddy Endler
Bryce Dolak
0
Mercyhurst MER (15-4-1, 13-1-1)
1
Winner Gannon GAN (16-4-2, 13-2-1)
Mercyhurst MER
(15-4-1, 13-1-1)
0
Final
1
Gannon GAN
(16-4-2, 13-2-1)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Mercyhurst MER 0 0 0
Gannon GAN 0 1 1

Game Recap: Women's Soccer | | Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Endler's First Career Goal Leads Golden Knights to 1-0 Win over Mercyhurst in Atlantic Regional

Golden Knights move on to face Charleston (WV) in second round

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The third time proved to be the charm for the Gannon women's soccer team. The Mercyhurst (16-4-1) women's soccer team once again found a way to shut down Gannon's high-scoring freshman tandem of Brooklyn Respecki (McKean, Pa./General McLane) and Grace Emanuel (Erie, Pa./McDowell). What the Lakers didn't count on was Maddy Endler (Salem, Ore./West Salem) scoring her first career goal to lead the Golden Knights to a 1-0 victory in the first round of the Atlantic Regional. Charleston (WV) is hosting the three-team pod at the Welch Athletic Complex.

Gannon came in as the number four seed and will now face No. 1 Charleston (18-0-3) on Sunday, November 19 at 1:00 p.m. The Golden Knights defeated the fifth-seeded Lakers after losing twice during the regular season by scores of 4-2 and 2-1.

Gannon also reached the second round of the Atlantic Regional a year ago. Gannon and Charleston played on September 2 at McConnell Family Stadium, with the Golden Eagles prevailing 4-1. Gannon improved to 16-4-2 win the win, the second-highest win total in school history.

Friday's first round match saw Gannon dominate the action but the Golden Knights were unable to find the back of the net. That was until Endler, a sophomore defender, scored her first career goal at the 75:12 mark.

She took a deflected crossing pass and gathered it in at the far side of the box. Her blast found the far left corner of the net, sailing past Mercyhurst goalkeeper Maddie Elbro, the PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Year. It was just her second shot of the season, the first coming earlier in the match.

Gannon peppered Embro with shots all afternoon, holding a 29-11 advantage, including 9-4 in shots on goal. Endler and the rest of the Gannon defense kept the pressure off goalkeeper Morgan Sinan (Cranberry Twp., Pa./Seneca Valley), who finished with four saves for her sixth shutout of the season.

The Golden Knights best defense was a pressuring offense, as the ball was constantly in Mercyhurst's end of the field. Gannon held a 14-5 advantage in shots in the first half, including 4-0 in shots on goal. They kept the pressure on to start the second half, with five shots in the first five minutes.

Mercyhurst, which ended the season at 16-4-1, attempted to pressure the Golden Knights late for the equalizer but the Gannon defense was up to the task. Gannon held a 2-1 advantage in corner kicks, with the lone Lakers' corner coming in the final minute. Sinan deflected the crossing kick to the right of the goal, where a Mercyhurst shot went right of the goal.

Moments later Gannon was celebrating a victory over its crosstown-rival and its second straight trip to the second round of the Atlantic Regional.   
 
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