The Match Information

• #2W Gannon (13-2-3 Overall, 12-2-2 PSAC West) vs. #3E Shepherd (11-5-1 Overall, 8-5-1 PSAC East)
• Tuesday, November 3 | 6:00 PM
• McConnell Family Stadium – Erie, Pa.

Ticket Information

• Admission is $12 for adults and $7 for students in grades K–12, while students from PSAC member institutions receive free entry with a valid school ID. PSAC passes are honored, no complimentary tickets will be issued, and all tickets must be purchased through Hudl Tickets as this is a cashless event. Tickets will also be available for purchase on-site, although advance purchase is encouraged. All sales are final, with no refunds.

ERIE, Pa. – Gannon and Shepherd meet once again with postseason implications on the line as the Golden Knights host the Rams in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Women's Soccer Tournament quarterfinals on Tuesday, November 3, at McConnell Family Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.

A year ago, the Rams handed the Golden Knights a 2-0 setback in the PSAC quarterfinals at McConnell Family Stadium before ending Gannon's NCAA Tournament run with a 4-0 victory in the Atlantic Region Second Round. Shepherd has won the last three meetings between the programs, including a 1-0 victory in the 2024 NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Third Round. The Golden Knights hold a 2-3-1 all-time record against the Rams and will look to snap a three-match losing streak in the series.

"They're a tough team. They're a good team,"  said head coach Colin Petersen. "They've knocked us out the last couple of years, and of course, we want to get one back on them. They present quite a few challenges for us, and I think that if we play well, compete and are consistent throughout the 90 minutes, then I'm pretty confident of a win."

Gannon enters the PSAC Tournament as the No. 2 seed in the Western Division after finishing the regular season with a 13-2-3 overall record and a 12-2-2 mark in conference play, totaling 38 points. The Golden Knights earned a first-round bye and will host Shepherd, the No. 3 seed from the Eastern Division, which finished with an 11-5-1 overall record and an 8-5-1 conference mark, totaling 25 points.

Tuesday's matchup will mark Gannon's 15th appearance in the PSAC Tournament and sixth consecutive postseason appearance dating back to 2021. All 15 conference tournament appearances have come under Petersen, who has guided the Golden Knights to a pair of PSAC runner-up finishes in 2022 and 2023. Gannon enters this year's tournament with an all-time conference postseason record of 10-13-1.

"Honestly, the whole season, we haven't really had a full starting 11 out there at any one particular time," Petersen said. It's been a bit of a challenge moving players, so we really haven't gotten into a rhythm yet. The exciting part is that I don't think we've played our best soccer yet, so I'm hoping that we can put things together and make a good run in the playoffs."

The winner of Tuesday's quarterfinal matchup will advance to the PSAC semifinals on Friday, November 6, to face the winner of the Edinboro-Kutztown quarterfinal. The PSAC Championship match is scheduled for Sunday, November 8, at 1 p.m. With the Western Division designated to host this year's tournament, the highest remaining Western Division seed following the quarterfinals will host both the semifinal and championship rounds.

Slippery Rock enters as the No. 1 seed in the Western Division, meaning Gannon could earn hosting rights if the Golden Knights advance and Slippery Rock is eliminated.

If no Western Division teams advance to the semifinals, hosting duties will shift to the highest remaining Eastern Division seed.

Scouting Gannon

Gannon enters the postseason riding a 15-match unbeaten streak after closing the regular season with a 2-1 victory at Clarion on October 28. The Golden Knights have not suffered a loss since falling to Indiana (Pa.) on September 5, posting a 12-0-3 record during that stretch.

The Golden Knights have been impressive on both ends of the field this season, outscoring their opponents 39-12 while averaging 2.17 goals per match. Defensively, Gannon has allowed just 0.67 goals per contest while recording nine shutouts. The Golden Knights have also generated consistent offensive opportunities, holding a 353-84 advantage in shots and a 129-28 edge in corner kicks.

Brooklyn Respecki (McKean, Pa./General McLane) leads the Golden Knights with 25 points on nine goals and seven assists. The senior has recorded a team-high 92 shots, including 48 on goal, while scoring two game-winning goals. Grace Emanuel (Erie, Pa./McDowell) follows closely with 24 points on seven goals and a team-leading 10 assists, which ranks tied for 11th nationally in NCAA Division II. Olivia Dixon (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) has added five goals and two assists for 12 points, while Maggie Piper (Stahlstown, Pa./Mt. Pleasant Area) has contributed four goals and one assist for nine points.

Respecki and Emanuel have also continued to climb Gannon's all-time record book. Respecki ranks second in program history with 132 career points, just five shy of Mani Brueckner's school record of 137. She is tied for third in career goals (46), ranks second in assists (40) and holds the program record with 441 career shots. Emanuel ranks fourth in program history with 110 career points, fifth in goals (40) and fourth in assists (30). Both players are tied for third in program history with 14 career game-winning goals.

Since taking over as Gannon's starting goalkeeper on September 12, Alwa Wennstroem (Öjebyn, Sweden) has compiled an 11-0-2 record in 13 appearances. She has allowed just six goals this season, posting a 0.48 goals-against average and a .786 save percentage while recording six solo shutouts. Wennstroem also ranks second in the PSAC in goals-against average.

Scouting Shepherd

Shepherd enters Tuesday's quarterfinal with an 11-5-1 overall record after finishing 8-5-1 in the PSAC East. The Rams have scored 38 goals in 17 matches, averaging 2.24 goals per contest, while allowing 20 goals for a 1.18 goals-against average. Shepherd has recorded eight shutouts this season.

Merritt Delk leads the Rams with 29 points on 13 goals and three assists, including five game-winning goals. Reagan Ackermann ranks second with 20 points on eight goals and four assists, followed by Aniyah Parker with five goals and five assists for 15 points. Olivia Gardner has contributed three goals and a team-high seven assists for 13 points.

The Rams have used two primary goalkeepers this season. Alex Stuart has appeared in 14 matches, posting a 7-4-1 record with a 1.38 goals-against average and 46 saves. Kendall Wright has appeared in six matches, compiling a 4-1-0 record with a 0.67 goals-against average and 13 saves.

The winner of the PSAC Tournament earns the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Championship, while remaining teams will compete for at-large selection based on NCAA Power Index (NPI) rankings. The latest Atlantic Region NPI rankings place Gannon at No. 6 and Shepherd at No. 7, with seven teams from the region set to qualify for the NCAA Tournament.

The NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Selection Show is scheduled for Monday, November 9, at 7 p.m. on NCAA.com, further elevating the stakes entering Tuesday night's matchup.