ERIE, Pa. – The No. 5-ranked Gannon women's soccer team stayed alone in first place in the PSAC West and remained unbeaten on the season while displaying the tough defense it has shown all season long.
 
June Monasterio (Bilbao, Spain/Claret Askartza) scored in the first half at McConnell Family Stadium, and Jessie Watkins (Bowie, Md./Bowie) scored in the second as the Golden Knights improved to 11-0-3 overall and 8-0-3 in the PSAC West. Coach Colin Petersen's team has 27 points in the standings and leads second-place IUP (7-1-3, 24 points) by three points. Third-place Slippery Rock slipped to 6-3-3 with 21 points.
 
Goalie Morgan Sinan (Cranberry Twp., Pa./Seneca Valley) and the Gannon defense combined for the Knights' 10th shutout in 14 matches. GU has now outscored its opponents 33-5 this season. Gannon finished with a 22-7 edge in shots and has outshot the opposition 329-55 on the season, including a 147-32 advantage in shots on goal.
 
Monasterio scored her third goal of the season at the 10:12 mark of the first half on a free kick. Hannah Shepard (Erie, Pa./McDowell) launched the free kick from near midfield and found Grace Emanuel (Erie, Pa./McDowell) on the left side of the box. She sent a crossing pass to Monasterio, who headed home the go-ahead goal from just in front of the goal. Shepard and Emanuel were credited with assists on the play.
 
The score stayed 1-0 until the 57:08 mark in the second half. Brooklyn Respecki (McKean, Pa./General McLane) sent a pass from the left corner to Watkins, who rocketed a shot from the left, top of the box over the goalie's hand in the top right corner of the net. Respecki got her third assist of the season and now leads GU with 23 points.
 
Sinan made two saves on SRU's only shots on goal. She also ran the Gannon defense effectively from the box.
 
 
What's ahead:
 
Gannon has three PSAC West matches left, beginning with a home game against Seton Hill on Saturday at 6 p.m. when the Knights will host Senior Day.