ERIE, Pa. – Olivia Dixon (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) and Brooklyn Respecki (McKean, Pa./General McLane) each found the back of the net as the Gannon women's soccer team earned a 2-0 victory over IUP on Saturday evening at McConnell Family Stadium.
The Golden Knights improved to 6-2-2 overall and 6-2-1 in PSAC play, while IUP fell to 4-4-3 overall and 4-4-2 in conference action. Gannon controlled the attacking numbers throughout the match, finishing with a 24-4 advantage in shots and a 10-4 edge in shots on goal.
Dixon put the Golden Knights in front at the 16:42 mark, converting a penalty kick for the opening goal. Gannon carried the 1-0 advantage into halftime after outshooting the Crimson Hawks 10-3 over the opening 45 minutes.
Gannon continued to apply pressure in the second half before Respecki provided some insurance in the 74th minute. Grace Emanuel (Erie, Pa./McDowell) set up Respecki for the goal, giving the Golden Knights a 2-0 advantage with 16:25 remaining.
Alwa Wennstroem (Öjebyn, Sweden) handled the rest in goal, making four saves to complete the shutout. The victory also marked Gannon's first win over IUP since 2023.
THE GAME FACTS
Score: Gannon 2, IUP 0
Records: Gannon 6-2-2 (6-2-1), IUP 4-4-3 (4-4-2)
Location: McConnell Family Stadium | Erie, Pa.
Date: Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026
THE KNIGHT CAP
- Dixon Opens the Scoring: Olivia Dixon (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) converted a penalty kick in the 17th minute to give Gannon a 1-0 advantage.
- Respecki Adds Insurance: Brooklyn Respecki (McKean, Pa./General McLane) scored in the 74th minute off an assist from Grace Emanuel (Erie, Pa./McDowell) to extend the lead to 2-0.
- First Since 2023: Saturday's victory marked Gannon's first win over IUP since the 2023 season.
- Another Clean Sheet: Alwa Wennstroem (Öjebyn, Sweden) played all 90 minutes and made four saves to record the shutout.
- Respecki Stays Dangerous: Respecki led Gannon with five shots and finished with two shots on goal and one goal.
- Dixon Active Throughout: Dixon also recorded five shots, putting two on goal and scoring once.
- Gannon Controls the Attack: The Golden Knights outshot IUP 24-4 and held a 7-0 advantage in corner kicks.
- Defensive Effort: Gannon limited IUP to just one shot in the second half.
UP NEXT
Gannon returns to PSAC action on Wednesday, Oct. 7, when the Golden Knights host Edinboro at McConnell Family Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.
This story was written using the support of AI.
