Jessie Watkins celebrates goal vs. Frostburg State
Bryce Dolak
1
Frostburg St. Frost (15-4-2, 11-1-2)
4
Winner Gannon Gan (15-1-4, 10-0-4)
Frostburg St. Frost
(15-4-2, 11-1-2)
1
Final
4
Gannon Gan
(15-1-4, 10-0-4)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Frostburg St. Frost 0 1 1
Gannon Gan 2 2 4

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

Golden Knights Move on in NCAA Tournament with 4-1 Win over Frostburg State

Gannon to face Kutztown in second round on Sunday

ERIE, Pa. – The Gannon women's soccer team will have an opportunity to exact some revenge on Sunday, and this time much more will be at stake. Gannon, the number two seed, advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional with a convincing 4-1 win over No. 7 Frostburg State on Friday afternoon.

Coupled with No. 3 seed Kutztown's 2-1 win over No. 6 Charleston (WV) in the first game of the doubleheader, Gannon and Kutztown will now square off in the second round on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. It is a rematch of last week's PSAC Semifinal game, as the Golden Bears handed Gannon ist lone loss of the season by a 2-1 score.

Despite playing on a cold and rainy afternoon at McConnell Family Stadium, the Gannon attack came out red hot and quickly jumped to a 2-0 lead. The Golden Knights added a pair of goals less than a minute apart early in the second half to advance.

Gannon is now 15-1-4 on the season while Frostburg State saw its season come to a close at 15-4-2. It was the first meeting ever between the two schools.

The four goals were the most ever scored by Gannon in an NCAA Tournament game and also the most allowed by the Bobcats this year. The Golden Knights shut down an FSU attack that ranked 12th in Division II with 52 goals. Frostburg State had allowed just 12 goals all season.  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Gannon opened the scoring less than five minutes into the contest off a corner kick. Gabby Boden's (Butler, Pa./Butler) kick from the left side found Jessie Watkins (Bowie, Md./Bowie) in front of the net. The freshman headed the ball from close range for a 1-0 lead at 4:26. It was Watkins' eighth goal of the season.

Just over seven minutes later the lead grew to 2-0 on a blast from 25 yards out from Jamie Seneca (Plum, Pa./Plum). Her shot from the right side just went over the outstretched arms of Frostburg State goalkeeper Katie Sterne at 11:59. Brooklyn Respecki (McKean, Pa./General McLane) assisted on Seneca's second goal of the season.

The Golden Knights shocked the Bobcats with a pair of goals less than a minute apart to go ahead 4-0. Gannon's sophomore tandem of Grace Emanuel (Erie, Pa./McDowell) and Brooklyn Respecki (McKean, Pa./General McLane) accounted for the goals. At 54:00 Emanuel scored her 13th goal of the season, taking a pass from Boden and with a tough angle from the right side found the upper left corner of the goal. At 54:48 it was Respecki scoring for the 13th time, the goal coming on a patented left-footed blast that skipped under the FSU goalkeeper.

Frostburg State closed the gap to 4-1 scoring the third goal in just over a five-minute period. Mollie Rebuck found the back of the net at 59:16, assisted by Mei Homman.

BY THE NUMBERS
Gannon held a huge advantage in shots, 25-5, along with a 20-1 edge in corner kicks. However, the advantage in shots on goal was just 7-4.

Grace Emanuel (Erie, Pa./McDowell) and Brooklyn Respecki (McKean, Pa./General McLane) continue to lead Gannon with 13 goals each. Boden assisted on a pair of goals and now has a team-high 11 assists.

Morgan Sinan (Cranberry Twp., Pa./Seneca Valley) was in goal for the Golden Knights and recorded three saves.

Gannon has now advanced to the second round for the third year in a row.
 
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