ERIE, Pa. – In front of a boisterous home crowd, senior
Brooklyn Respecki (McKean, Pa./General McLane) scored twice as the Gannon women's soccer team blanked Shepherd, 2-0, in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Women's Soccer Tournament quarterfinals on Tuesday evening at McConnell Family Stadium.
The Golden Knights, who entered the tournament as the No. 2 seed in the Western Division, improved to 14-2-3 overall while advancing to the PSAC semifinals. The victory also turned the tables on Shepherd, matching the 2-0 scoreline from last year's PSAC Tournament meeting, when the Rams ended Gannon's postseason run.
This time, it was the Golden Knights celebrating as they kept their conference championship hopes alive.
Respecki wasted little time putting Gannon ahead, scoring in the fifth minute off an assist from
Grace Emanuel (Erie, Pa./McDowell). She added her second goal just 1:13 into the second half, converting a feed from
Amelya Bretz (Erie, Pa./Harbor Creek) to provide the Golden Knights with a two-goal advantage.
With her two-goal performance, Respecki increased her career totals to 48 goals and 136 points, moving into second place in program history in both categories. She now trails Amanda Sharbaugh (51) by three goals for the all-time goals record and sits just one point behind Mani Brueckner (137) for the program's career points record.
The Golden Knights controlled the offensive opportunities throughout the match, outshooting Shepherd 17-6, including a 9-4 advantage in shots on goal. Goalkeeper
Alwa Wennstroem (Öjebyn, Sweden) recorded three saves to help preserve the shutout and secure Gannon's spot in the conference semifinals.
THE GAME FACTS
Score: Gannon 2, Shepherd 0
Records: Gannon (14-2-3, 12-2-2 PSAC West); Shepherd (11-6-1, 8-5-1 PSAC East)
Location: McConnell Family Stadium – Erie, Pa.
Date: Tuesday, November 3, 2026
THE KNIGHT CAP
- Respecki Delivers: Brooklyn Respecki (McKean, Pa./General McLane) scored both Gannon goals, finding the back of the net in the fifth and 47th minutes. The senior finished with a game-high seven shots, including five on goal.
- Closing in on History: Respecki now ranks second in Gannon history with 48 career goals and 136 career points. She needs four goals to surpass Amanda Sharbaugh's school record of 51 and two points to surpass Mani Brueckner's record of 137.
- Fast Start: Gannon applied pressure from the opening whistle, registering three shots in the first three minutes before Respecki broke through at the 4:49 mark off an assist from Grace Emanuel (Erie, Pa./McDowell).
- Second-Half Strike: Respecki doubled the Golden Knights' advantage at 46:13, just 73 seconds into the second half, following an assist from Amelya Bretz (Erie, Pa./Harbor Creek).
- Offensive Advantage: The Golden Knights outshot Shepherd 17-6, including a 10-2 advantage in the opening half. Gannon also held a 4-2 edge in corner kicks.
- Respecki Leads the Attack: Respecki accounted for seven of Gannon's 17 shots, while Bella Prince (Bradford,Pa./Bradford Area) and Amelya Bretz (Erie, Pa./Harbor Creek) contributed two attempts apiece.
- Shepard Comes Up Big: With Gannon leading 1-0 in the 36th minute, senior defender Hannah Shepard (Erie, Pa./McDowell) came up with a crucial defensive stop, turning away a shot from Shepherd's Merritt Delk to preserve the Golden Knights' one-goal advantage.
- Defensive Effort: Goalkeeper Alwa Wennstroem (Öjebyn, Sweden) played all 90 minutes and recorded three saves, while Shepard accounted for a team save as Gannon recorded the shutout. The Golden Knights limited Shepherd to six total shots.
- Playoff Redemption: Gannon reversed last year's 2-0 PSAC Tournament defeat to Shepherd, ending the Rams' postseason hopes after falling to Shepherd in each of the previous two postseasons.
- Moving On: With the victory, Gannon advances to the PSAC Women's Soccer Tournament semifinals and remains in contention for the conference championship.
Up Next
Gannon advances to the PSAC Women's Soccer Tournament semifinals and will face Kutztown, the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Division, on Friday, November 6, at 10 a.m.
The matchup will mark the first meeting between the two programs since November 24, 2024, when Gannon earned a 3-2 victory over Kutztown in the second round of the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional at McConnell Family Stadium. The teams also squared off in the 2024 PSAC semifinals, with Kutztown claiming a 2-1 victory on November 15.
The winner will advance to the PSAC Championship match on Sunday, November 8, where it will face the winner of the other semifinal between Slippery Rock, the No. 1 seed in the Western Division, and West Chester, the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Division.
This story was written using the support of AI.
