Gannon players celebrate a goal by Brooklyn Respecki (7) in the first half against Kutztown.
Jeff Kirik
2
Kutztown Kutz (12-5-6, 7-3-6)
3
Winner Gannon GANNON (16-1-4, 10-0-4)
Kutztown Kutz
(12-5-6, 7-3-6)
2
Final
3
Gannon GANNON
(16-1-4, 10-0-4)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Kutztown Kutz 1 1 2
Gannon GANNON 2 1 3

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

Taylor Stuns Kutztown with Late Goal as Gannon Advances to Finals of Atlantic Regional

ERIE, Pa. – Paige Taylor's (Robina, Australia/Emmanuel College) goal with 28 seconds remaining in regulation propelled Gannon to a 3-2 win over Kutztown in the second round of the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional on Sunday afternoon at McConnell Family Stadium.

The Golden Knights, the second seed in the Atlantic Region and now 16-1-4, exacted a bit of revenge against a Kutztown (12-5-6) team which had handed them their only loss of the season in the PSAC Semifinals. The Golden Knights defeated Frostburg State in the opening round by a 4-1 score while Kutztown, the number three seed, moved on with a 2-1 win over Charleston (WV).

Gannon now moves on to face top-seeded Shepherd in the regional final on Sunday, December 1. The Rams defeated West Virginia State 2-1 on Sunday.

"That game had so many ebbs and flows and ups and downs," noted an exhausted head coach Colin Petersen afterwards. "The girls just stayed true to what we had done in practice. I think the last game that we played against them we panicked a little bit. I thought our preparation was excellent. We made a couple of tweeks and they stuck with it. They were disciplined and eventually it paid off for us."



After taking a 2-1 lead late in the first half Gannon held off the Golden Bears until Maura Day fired a free kick into the net with just under ten minutes remaining to tie the match at 2-2.

The game appeared to be heading into overtime with less than a minute to play when Taylor shocked the Golden Bears with her game-winning goal. The senior's shot from 25 yards out on the right wing split a pair of defenders and went past a sprawling Cassidy Howes just inside the left post. With 28 seconds left the Golden Knights led by a goal. The goal was just the second of the season and seventh career goal for Taylor, a native of Australia.

"I feel amazing," exclaimed Taylor. "I'm just to happy for the girls. The whole entire team. Colin (Petersen), Lia (Petersen), Becks (Young). All of us wanted this so bad. We were fighting until the last second and we managed to do it.

"I talked to Brooklyn before the game and she said if you get a chance to shoot shoot. We've got nothing left to lose. She gave me the ball and I took a touch and shot and it went down. All the thanks to Brooklyn for giving me that little positive input. I'm just so happy for us."  

Seconds later the Golden Knights charged the field in celebration as they advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year. Last year Gannon won three games to reach the Elite Eight before losing to Adelphi 1-0.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Kutztown scored the opening goal on an outstanding individual effort by Caroline McDonald. After Cassidy Howes stopped a Gannon shot the ball bounded out to McDonald. She gathered in the ball three-quarters of the way down the field and weaved her way through the Gannon defense, beating three defenders. She then fired a shot into the far left corner of the net from the right side.

Gannon knotted the score at 1-1 thanks to Brooklyn Respecki's (McKean, Pa./General McLane) 14th goal of the season at 28:48. The sophomore took a feed down the right sideline from fellow sophomore Grace Emanuel (Erie, Pa./McDowell), crossed towards the middle of the field and fired a shot from 20 yards out that was slightly tipped by KU goalkeeper Cassidy Howes but went over her head into the net.

The Golden Knights took a 2-1 lead late in the first half courtesy of Jessie Watkins (Bowie, Md./Bowie). Madeline Endler gave Watkins a perfect pass in the middle of the field, and the freshman spun and found the back of the net from 12 yards out. It was her ninth goal of the season coming at 42:52.

Kutztown tied the match at 2-2 thanks to an outstanding free kick by Maura Day with less than ten minutes remaining. Her shot from 30 yards out went over the outstretched arms of Morgan Sinan (Cranberry Twp., Pa./Seneca Valley) and into the upper right corner of the goal at 81:40.

BY THE NUMBERS
Gannon finished with a 25-5 advantage in shots and the Golden Knights had nine corner kicks to two for the Golden Bears.
Brooklyn Respecki (McKean, Pa./General McLane) scored her 14th goal of the season, which is tied for fifth in a season, The sophomore already has 27 career goals, also good for fifth all-time.

Gannon's 16 wins are the third-highest total in a season. The Golden Knights set the school record for wins with 18 in 2015 and a year ago won 17 matches.

The Golden Knights have had mixed results against Kutztown in the postseason. They are now 1-1 this year against the Golden Bears, falling in the PSAC Tournament but winning in the Atlantic Regional. In 2022 Kutztown ended Gannon's season in the second round of the Atlantic Regional with a 1-0 win.  

NEXT FOR THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS
Shepherd will host the Golden Knights on Sunday, December 1 in the Atlantic Regional title match.
 
 
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