PSAC WEST WOMEN'S SOCCER

No. 7 GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS 2, PITT-JOHNSTOWN MOUNTAIN CATS 0

RECORDS
Gannon: 7-0-3 overall; 5-0-3 PSAC West
Pitt-Johnstown: 4-4-2 overall; 2-4-2 PSAC West

 
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Many Gannon soccer fans might have wondered what fabulous freshmen Grace Emanuel (Erie, Pa./McDowell) and Brooklyn Respecki (McKean, Pa./General McLane) would do for an encore.
 
So far, their sophomore seasons have been just as good as their 2023 debuts, when both were selected as all-PSAC, all-Atlantic Region, and All-Americans.
 
Both Emanuel and Respecki scored two goals and had an assist on Saturday as the Gannon women's soccer team shut out Pitt-Johnstown 5-0 in a PSAC West game at Richland High School.
 
Freshman Jessie Watkins (Bowie, Md./Bowie) added a goal, while Gabby Boden (Butler, Pa./Butler) dished out two assists and Aubrey Pyne (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg Area) had one assist.
 
Gannon, ranked No. 7 in NCAA Division II, remained unbeaten on the season as it improved to 7-0-3 overall and remained alone in first place in the PSAC West with a 5-0-3 record and 18 standings points.
 
 
How it happened:
 
Emanuel opened the scoring just 14:39 into the game when she took a pass from Boden on the right side of the box and beat the UPJ goalie on a short shot.
 
Emanuel struck again at the 33:05 mark when she made a run down the right side of the field, and Respecki fed her with a beautiful pass as Emanuel raced into box alone and scored into the right side of the net.
 
The two sophomores connected again midway through the second half, but this time it was Emanuel getting the assist and Respecki converting the goal. Emanuel booted a crossing pass off the goalie and Respecki collected the rebound and kicked it home at the 61:11 mark.
 
Just a few minutes later, Watkins made it 4-0 when she took a pass from Boden and unleashed a hard shot from 30 yards out as it sailed over a leaping goalie into the top of the net.
 
In the final minute, Respecki took a pass from Pyne and beat two defenders as she sent a low shot to the left of a diving goalie.
 
 
By the numbers:
 
After outshooting IUP 34-1 in a scoreless tie on Wednesday, Gannon outshot UPJ 28-3 on Saturday, including a 12-1 advantage in shots on goal.
 
Goalies Morgan Sinan (Cranberry Twp., Pa./Seneca Valley) (76 minutes) and Alexa Meyer (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) (14 minutes) combined on the shutout for Gannon, which has allowed just four goals in 10 games this season.
 
Respecki has reached double-digit goals for the second consecutive season with 10. She scored 13 as a freshman. She also collected her first assist of the season after recording 16 in 2023.
 
Emanuel had her third two-goal game of the season to move her season total to six goals. She has four assists and 16 points. Emanuel and Respecki both have three game-winning goals.
 
Boden leads Gannon with five assists.
 
 
What's ahead:

Gannon will be back on the road on Wednesday at 6 p.m. when it visits Edinboro at 6 p.m.