2024 Gannon women's soccer team photo

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

Women's Soccer Tournament Preview: Golden Knights Begin NCAA Journey Hosting Frostburg State

No. 2 GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS (14-1-4) vs. No. 7 FROSTBURG STATE BOBCATS (15-3-2)
NCAA ATLANTIC REGIONAL FIRST ROUND
DATE/TIME: Friday, November 22, 2024 | 3:00 p.m.
STADIUM/LOCATION: McConnell Family Stadium l Erie, Pa.
TOURNAMENT CENTRAL
LIVE STATS
LIVE VIDEO


THE NCAA ATLANTIC REGIONAL
First Round (at Gannon)
Friday, November 22, 2024
No. 3 Kutztown vs. No. 6 Charleston (WV) – 12 noon
No. 2 GANNON vs. No. 7 Frostburg State – 3:00 p.m.

First Round (at Shepherd)
Friday, November 22, 2024
No. 4 West Virginia State vs. No. 5 Indiana (Pa.) – 1:00 p.m.

Second Round
Sunday, November 24, 2024 (at Gannon)
Winner Gannon-Frostburg State vs. winner Kutztown-Charleston (WV) – 3:00 p.m.
Sunday, November 24, 2024 (at Shepherd)
No. 1 Shepherd vs. winner West Virginia State-Indiana (Pa.) – 1:00 p.m.

TICKETS
Admission for each day of the tournament play will be as follows:
Adults $10.00
Students with I.D./Senior Citizens $5.00
Children, ages 2-12 $5.00

Children under the age of 2 shall be admitted free when accompanied by a paying adult.
Tickets can be purchased online in advance of the competition using these links.
FRIDAY TICKETS
SUNDAY TICKETS

Tickets will also be sold at the ticket window. Cash and card will be accepted. 
 
THE GANNON-FROSTBURG STATE SERIES
First Meeting
 
ERIE, Pa. – In a matter of days disappointment turned to joy for the Gannon women's soccer team. The Golden Knights suffered their first loss of the season on Friday while playing in the PSAC Semifinals. On Monday night the NCAA announced the field for the Division II Tournament. Gannon was awarded the second seed in the Atlantic Regional and will host a four-team pod this weekend.
 
Gannon hosts No. 7 seed Frostburg State on Friday at 3:00 p.m. at McConnell Family Stadium. The first game of the doubleheader finds No. 3 Kutztown squaring off against No. 6 Charleston (WV) at 12 noon. The winners move on to play in the second round of the regional at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, leaving the possibility for a rematch of the Gannon-Kutztown PSAC Semifinal match.
 
But first things first. The Golden Knights must get by a Frostburg State team that owns a 15-3-2 record. The Bobcats reached the semifinals of the Mountain East Conference Tournament before losing to West Virginia State 2-1.
 
Gannon is making its fourth straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament and looks to duplicate its magical run to the Elite Eight a year ago. Last year Gannon entered as the fourth seed and opened the Atlantic Regional with a 1-0 win over local rival Mercyhurst.
 
In the second round they upset top-seeded Charleston 3-1 to advance to the Sweet 16. The Golden Knights continued on the road in the Sweet 16 at No. 3 West Chester. The two teams battled to a 1-1 tie through two overtimes but Gannon advanced to the Elite Eight on penalty kicks 5-4 to win the Atlantic Regional crown. Angela Vandamia's penalty kick goal allowed Gannon to move on.
 
Gannon played East Regional champion Adelphi in the Elite Eight. The Panthers scored the lone goal of the match with just under five minutes to play for a 1-0 win.
 
Gannon and Frostburg State have never met on the pitch before. But they almost did two years ago. Gannon hosted an ill-fated Atlantic Regional in 2022. Torrential rains flooded the playing surface at McConnell Family Stadium and forced the first round to Penn State Behrend. The Golden Knights reached the second round with a 3-0 win over Fairmont State. It set up a potential meeting with Frostburg State, but the Bobcats dropped a 3-0 decision to Kutztown in the opening game.

FAST FACTS FOR GANNON AND FROSTBURG STATE
 
No. 2 Gannon Golden Knights (14-1-4, 10-0-4 PSAC West)
Head Coach: Colin Petersen (219-163-43, 23rd season)
Leading Scorers: Brooklyn Respecki (McKean, Pa./General McLane) (12G-8A-32 pts.); Grace Emanuel (Erie, Pa./McDowell) (12G-6A-30 pts.); Jessie Watkins (Bowie, Md./Bowie) (7G-1A-15 pts.); Gabby Boden (Butler, Pa./Butler) (2G-9A-13 pts.)
Goalkeeper: Morgan Sinan (Cranberry Twp., Pa./Seneca Valley) (14-1-4, 0.44 GAA, .826 save pct., 9 SHO)
All-PSAC Players: Destinee Robertson (Lacey, Washington/Timberline), D (PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Year, 1st Team); Jessie Watkins (Bowie, Md./Bowie), F (PSAC West Freshman of the Year, 1st Team); Brooklyn Respecki (McKean, Pa./General McLane), F (1st Team); Grace Emanuel (Erie, Pa./McDowell), MF (1st Team); Gabby Boden (Butler, Pa./Butler), MF (1st Team); Hannah Shepard (Erie, Pa./McDowell), D (1st Team); Morgan Sinan (Cranberry Twp., Pa./Seneca Valley), GK (1st Team); Jamie Seneca (Plum, Pa./Plum), MF (2nd Team)
Fast Facts: Gannon is making its fourth straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament and was undefeated and ranked fifth in the latest United Soccer Coaches Top 25 before suffering a 2-1 loss to Kutztown in the PSAC Semifinals … Colin Petersen was a former standout for the Gannon men's soccer program and has served as the head coach since 2002. He holds the school record for career victories and has led the Golden Knights to 13 PSAC Tournament teams and eight NCAA Tournament appearances.

No. 7 Frostburg State (15-3-2, 11-1-2 MEC)
Head Coach: Brian Parker (291-124-47, 23rd season)
Leading Scorers: Madi Allen (8G-16 pts); Carly Gillette (7G-1A-15 pts); Molly Rebuck (6G-2A-14 pts); Catherine Smith (5G-2A-12 pts) 
Goalkeeper: Katie Sterne (14-3-1, 0.50 GAA, .862 save pct, 7 SHO)
All-MEC Players: Cat Smith, D (MEC Defensive Player of the Year, 1st Team); Katie Sterne, GK (1st Team); Carly Gillette, MF (1st Team); Mei Homman, D (2nd Team); Madi Allen, F (HM)
Fast Facts: Frostburg State is making its third straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament and visits Erie for the second time in three years … the Bobcats have scored 52 goals. That ranks 12th in Division II.
 
Gannon in the NCAA Tournament
2009 
vs. IUP -- T, 0-0 (IUP advances 5-4 on penalty kicks)
2012   
vs. West Va. Wesleyan – L,  0-2
2015   
EDINBORO -- L, 1-2 ot
2017   
vs. West Virginia Wesleyan -- L, 0-2
2021   
vs. Bloomsburg – L, 1-2 ot
2022  
FAIRMONT ST – W,  3-0
KUTZTOWN – L, 0-1
2023 
vs. Mercyhurst – W,  1-0
at Charleston (WV) – W, 3-1
at West Chester – T, 1-1 (advance on PK 5-4)
vs. Adelphi – L, 0-1

Next for the Golden Knights
The winner of the Gannon-Frostburg State first round game moves on to play the winner of the Kutztown-Charleston (WV) game in the Atlantic Region semifinals. That match will take place at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 24 at McConnell Family Stadium.
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Players Mentioned

Gabby Boden

#11 Gabby Boden

M/F
5' 7"
Senior
Grace Emanuel

#24 Grace Emanuel

M
5' 3"
Sophomore
Brooklyn Respecki

#7 Brooklyn Respecki

F
5' 3"
Sophomore
Exercise Science
Jamie Seneca

#12 Jamie Seneca

M
5' 5"
Senior
Hannah Shepard

#3 Hannah Shepard

D
5' 9"
Sophomore
Morgan Sinan

#0 Morgan Sinan

GK
5' 7"
Graduate Student
Cybersecurity
Destinee Robertson

#6 Destinee Robertson

D
5' 2"
Junior
Jessie Watkins

#36 Jessie Watkins

F
5' 4"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Gabby Boden

#11 Gabby Boden

5' 7"
Senior
M/F
Grace Emanuel

#24 Grace Emanuel

5' 3"
Sophomore
M
Brooklyn Respecki

#7 Brooklyn Respecki

5' 3"
Sophomore
Exercise Science
F
Jamie Seneca

#12 Jamie Seneca

5' 5"
Senior
M
Hannah Shepard

#3 Hannah Shepard

5' 9"
Sophomore
D
Morgan Sinan

#0 Morgan Sinan

5' 7"
Graduate Student
Cybersecurity
GK
Destinee Robertson

#6 Destinee Robertson

5' 2"
Junior
D
Jessie Watkins

#36 Jessie Watkins

5' 4"
Freshman
F