WOMEN'S SOCCER:
NCAA DIVISION II ELITE EIGHT
GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS (18-4-2) VS. ADELPHI PANTHERS (14-3-5)
WHEN: Sunday, 1 p.m.
WHERE: Rockwell Field l West Chester, Pa.
LIVE STATS
LIVE VIDEO
 
WEST CHESTER, Pa. – With each postseason clutch performance, the Gannon women's soccer team has made history.

Now, the Golden Knights are one win from the NCAA Division II Final Four.

Gannon is coming off a one of the biggest victories in program history win it beat two-time defending PSAC champion West Chester in a penalty-kick shootout to advance to an Elite Eight matchup with Adelphia on Sunday at 1 p.m. at West Chester.

Adelphia is coming off history of its own. The Panthers downed rival Saint Rose, the No. 1 seed in the East Regional, in similar fashion on Friday. Adelphi and Saint Rose played to a 1-1 tie through regulation and two overtimes before the Panthers emerged with a 4-2 win in the penalty-kick shootout.

Saint Rose players learned this week that their college will close at the end of the school year. Saint Rose came into the game unbeaten and top seeded and had beaten Adelphi in two other meetings this year.

So now that Gannon and Adelphi have gotten past two of their top nemeses, the teams will turn their attention toward each other.

The winner of Sunday's game will advance to the Final Four at the NCAA Division II National Championship in Matthews, N.C. on Dec. 7. The title game will be played Dec. 9 at Sportsplex at Matthews.

The tournament will be reseeded for the Final Four.
 

Scouting Adelphi:

Adelphi University, located Garden City, N.Y, has a strong athletic history. However, the women's soccer team is reaching new heights with its trip to the Elite Eight.

Brooke DeRosa has been the Adelphi head coach for nine seasons. She also serves as the school's Assistant Athletic Director. She led the team to NCAA Tournament appearances in her first three seasons, including two trips to the East Regional finals. She also led the Panthers to the NCAAs in 2022.

The Panthers are led by Northeast 10 Defensive Player of the Year Morgan Salmon. She was joined on the All-NE10 First Team by forward Madison Apicella.

Members of the All-NE10 Second Team were forward Gia Mandile, midfielder Kayleigh Goodrich, and defender Kayla Mushorn. Midfielder Dylann Trahey and goalie Krista Aliscio made the Third Team, while Goodrich, Sophie Cataldo and Julianna Violi landed spots on the All-Rookie Team.

Adelphi has won with defense. The Panthers have surrendered just 20 goals in 22 games, and they have outshot teams 314-176.

Mandile leads Adelphi with eight goals and 20 points.
 

About Gannon:

The Golden Knights have made the deepest surge into the NCAA Tournament in program history with three consecutive wins over teams that had previously beaten them during the season.

Coach Colin Petersen is in his 22nd year as head coach, and he earned his 200th victory earlier this season.

Gannon has been led by a mix of veteran standouts and freshmen phenoms. Grad student Leah Bermudez (Milton, Ontario/Jean Vanier Catholic) is the leader of Gannon's tough defense, and she is framed by senior Gretchen Oslick (Freedom, Pa./Ambridge) and freshman Hannah Shepard (Erie, Pa./McDowell).

Freshman forward Brooklyn Respecki (McKean, Pa./General McLane) and freshman midfielder Grace Emanuel (Erie, Pa./McDowell) are the team's scoring leaders. Respecki was voted the D2CCA Atlantic Region Player of the Year and the PSAC West Freshman of the Year. She leads Gannon and is among the NCAA leaders with 42 points on 13 goals and 16 assists. Emanuel has a team-high 14 goals and is second on the team with 32 points.

That duo combined for Gannon's loan goal against West Chester when Emanuel scored off an assist from Respecki.

Other leaders for Gannon have been forward Logan Nicklas (Allison Park, Pa./Hampton), and midfielders Jamie Seneca (Plum, Pa./Plum) and Gabby Boden (Butler, Pa./Butler).

Angela Vandamia connected on the clinching penalty kick in Gannon's 5-4 shootout win, setting off a wild celebration against West Chester. Holly Gray (Gold Coast, Australia), Nicklas, June Monasterio (Bilbao, Spain/Claret Askartza) and Oslick also were successful on their attempts during the shootout.