Women's Soccer | 11/7/2026 6:19:00 PM

PSAC CHAMPIONSHIP

2W GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS (15-2-3, 12-2-2 PSAC West) vs. 1W NO. 23 SLIPPERY ROCK THE ROCK (15-2-3, 13-1-2 PSAC West)

DATE/TIME: Sunday, November 8, 2026 | 1 p.m.
STADIUM/LOCATION: James Egli Field | Slippery Rock, Pa.

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THE PSAC WOMEN'S SOCCER TOURNAMENT
QUARTERFINALS – Tuesday, November 3

• Gannon 2, Shepherd 0
• Kutztown 3, Edinboro 0
• West Chester 0, Seton Hill 0 (WCU advances on PKs, 3-2)
• Slippery Rock 2, Millersville 0

SEMIFINALS – Friday, November 6

• Gannon 2, No. 4 Kutztown 1
• No. 23 Slippery Rock 1, No. 15 West Chester 1 (SRU advances on PKs, 4-3)

CHAMPIONSHIP – Sunday, November 8
- Gannon vs. No. 23 Slippery Rock – 1 p.m.

THE GANNON-SLIPPERY ROCK SERIES
Gannon leads the all-time series, 19-13-8
First Meeting: October 8, 1996 – Gannon 4, Slippery Rock 2
Last Meeting: October 21, 2026 – Gannon 2, Slippery Rock 2
Last Gannon Victory: October 1, 2025 – Gannon 3, Slippery Rock 0
Last Slippery Rock Victory: October 6, 2021 – Slippery Rock 3, Gannon 0

2026 Regular-Season Meetings

• September 9 – Gannon 1, Slippery Rock 1 (Erie, Pa.)
• October 21 – Gannon 2, Slippery Rock 2 (Slippery Rock, Pa.)

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – For the third time this season the Gannon women's soccer team will square off against PSAC West rival Slippery Rock. This time, however, there will be no sharing the result.

After battling to draws in both regular-season meetings, the Golden Knights and nationally ranked No. 23 Rock will meet with the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) championship on the line on Sunday, November 8, at 1 p.m. at James Egli Field.

Gannon (15-2-3), the Western Division's No. 2 seed, advanced to its third PSAC championship match in program history following a 2-1 victory over fourth-ranked Kutztown in Friday's semifinals. The Golden Knights will look to capture their first conference tournament championship after finishing as runners-up in 2022 and 2023.

Slippery Rock (15-2-3), the PSAC West regular-season champion and the top Western Division seed, advanced after playing No. 15 West Chester to a 1-1 draw before prevailing 4-3 in penalty kicks. The Rock advance to the PSAC championship match for the first time since winning the title in 2019 and will seek their fifth conference championship.

The matchup features two of the conference's hottest teams. Gannon enters Sunday riding a 17-match unbeaten streak (14-0-3), while Slippery Rock has gone unbeaten in its last 12 contests (10-2).

The winner will not only be crowned PSAC champion but also secure the conference's automatic berth into the NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Tournament. The 2026 tournament field will be announced on Monday.

How They Got Here

2W GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS (15-2-3)

Quarterfinals: Defeated Shepherd, 2-0
Semifinals: Defeated No. 4 Kutztown, 2-1

Gannon opened tournament play with a 2-0 shutout victory over Shepherd at McConnell Family Stadium. Senior Brooklyn Respecki (McKean, Pa./General McLane) scored both goals as the Golden Knights avenged last season's postseason defeat to the Rams.

In Friday's semifinals, Gannon upset No. 4 Kutztown by a 2-1 score, ending the Golden Bears' nine-match winning streak. Respecki scored in the 21st minute to become Gannon's all-time leader in career points, surpassing Mani Brueckner (2012–15).

Jessie Watkins (Bowie, Md./Bowie) followed with the game-winning goal in the 63rd minute off assists from Respecki and Olivia Dixon (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) to reach the championship match.

The victory marked Gannon's first win over a nationally-ranked opponent since defeating No. 24 Adelphi, 5-1, on October 15, 2025, at McConnell Family Stadium.

1W NO. 23 SLIPPERY ROCK THE ROCK (15-2-3)

Quarterfinals: Defeated Millersville, 2-0
Semifinals: Tied No. 15 West Chester, 1-1 (advanced 4-3 on PKs)

Slippery Rock opened tournament play with a 2-0 shutout victory over Millersville at James Egli Field.

The Rock faced a tougher test in Friday's semifinals against 15^th-ranked West Chester. Sophia Palermo scored just 89 seconds into the contest to give Slippery Rock an early advantage, but the Golden Rams answered in the 10th minute on a goal by Adriana Ryder to even the score.

Neither team managed another goal through regulation and two overtime periods, sending the match to penalty kicks. Leah Walter converted Slippery Rock's fifth attempt before goalkeeper Leah Allman stopped West Chester's final attempt as SRU advanced to the title match.
 
Third Time's the Charm?
After 180 minutes of soccer during the regular season, neither Gannon nor Slippery Rock managed to claim a victory in the head-to-head series.

The teams first met on September 9 at McConnell Family Stadium, playing to a 1-1 draw. They renewed their rivalry at SRU on October 21 and battled to a 2-2 tie.

In the second meeting, Gannon erased two one-goal deficits in the second half. Grace Emanuel (Erie, Pa./McDowell) scored the first equalizer in the 72nd minute before Respecki delivered the final equalizer in the 83rd minute.

The Golden Knights have enjoyed the upper hand in the all-time series, holding a 19-13-8 advantage. Gannon has gone unbeaten in the last 12 meetings (5-0-7) since falling 3-0 to The Rock on October 6, 2021.

Sunday will mark the fourth postseason meeting between the teams and their first in the PSAC championship match. Gannon has also won all three previous PSAC Tournament meetings, earning a 1-0 quarterfinal victory in 2013, a 5-3 quarterfinal win in 2021 and a 4-2 quarterfinal victory in 2023.
Unlike their two regular-season encounters, Sunday's championship must produce a winner. If the teams remain tied after regulation and overtime, penalty kicks will determine which side claims the conference crown.

"We're two teams that are very familiar with each other, and that makes it a really difficult game," said Gannon head coach Colin Petersen. "Both games have been tied, so we know there's quality on both sides. Tomorrow is going to come down to taking advantage of our opportunities and minimizing mistakes. Obviously, Slippery Rock has the advantage of playing at home, so we definitely have to step up our game and take the game to them."

Scouting the PSAC Championship

2W GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS (15-2-3, 12-2-2 PSAC West)
Head Coach: Colin Petersen (25th season)
Leading Scorers: Brooklyn Respecki (McKean, Pa./General McLane) (12G-9A-33 pts), Grace Emanuel (Erie, Pa./McDowell) (7G-11A-25 pts), Olivia Dixon (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) (5G-3A-13 pts), Maggie Piper (Stahlstown, Pa./Mt. Pleasant Area) (4G-1A-9 pts).
Goalkeeper: Alwa Wennstroem (Öjebyn, Sweden) (13-0-2, 0.49 GAA, .800 save pct., 7 SHO).
All-PSAC: Respecki (West Athlete of the Year, First Team), Emanuel (First Team), Hannah Shepard (Erie, Pa./McDowell) (First Team), Dixon (Second Team), Bella Prince (Bradford,Pa./Bradford Area) (Second Team).
Fast Facts: Gannon has outscored its opponents 43-13 this season while recording 10 shutouts. The Golden Knights average 19.3 shots per match and have limited opponents to just 5.0 shots per contest. Respecki leads the team with 33 points and has scored three goals in the PSAC Tournament. Gannon enters Sunday riding a 17-match unbeaten streak dating back to September 9.

1W NO. 23 SLIPPERY ROCK THE ROCK (15-2-3, 13-1-2 PSAC West)
Head Coach: Noreen Herlihy (21st season)
Leading Scorers: Bailey McGee (5G-8A-18 pts), Abby Paterline (7G-4A-18 pts), Lilia Battalini (7G-3A-17 pts), Sophia Palermo (7G-2A-16 pts).
Goalkeeper: Leah Allman (15-2-3, 0.68 GAA, .776 save pct., 8 SHO).
All-PSAC: Libby Earley (West Defensive Player of the Year, First Team), McGee (First Team), Palermo (First Team), Peyton Los (First Team), Allman (First Team), Lillian Snyder (Second Team), Paterline (Second Team). Herlihy was named PSAC West Coach of the Year.
Fast Facts: Slippery Rock has outscored its opponents 48-15 this season while also recording 10 shutouts. Friday's 1-1 draw against No. 15 West Chester extended its unbeaten streak to 12 consecutive matches and kept The Rock undefeated at James Egli Field at 9-0-2. Slippery Rock is making its first PSAC championship appearance since winning the title in 2019 and is seeking its fifth conference crown.

Gannon in the PSAC Championship
Gannon is making its 15th PSAC Tournament appearance and will compete in the championship match for the third time in program history.

The Golden Knights previously advanced to the conference title match in 2022 and 2023, falling to West Chester on both occasions.

Previous Championship Appearances

• 2022 – West Chester 3, Gannon 0 (Erie, Pa.)
• 2023 – West Chester 2, Gannon 1 (Kutztown, Pa.)
• 2026 – Gannon vs. Slippery Rock (Slippery Rock, Pa.)

Gannon improved to 12-13-1 all-time in PSAC Tournament play following Friday's victory over Kutztown. The Golden Knights have reached the semifinals in six consecutive seasons and now have an opportunity to secure the program's first conference tournament championship.
 
Golden Knights Closing in on Unbeaten Streak Record
Gannon enters Sunday's PSAC championship riding a 17-match unbeaten streak (14-0-3), the second-longest in program history. The Golden Knights have not suffered a defeat since falling 2-1 to Indiana (Pa.) on September 5.

The streak trails only the program-record 18-match unbeaten stretch (14-0-4), established from September 5 through November 12, 2024. A victory or draw against Slippery Rock on Sunday would match the school record of 18 consecutive matches without a loss.

Keeping Up with the Record Book

Senior Brooklyn Respecki (McKean, Pa./General McLane) added another milestone to her decorated career during Friday's semifinal victory over Kutztown.

Entering the contest tied with Mani Brueckner (2012–15) at 137 career points, Respecki scored in the 21st minute to take sole possession of the program's all-time career points record. She also assisted on Jessie Watkins' (Bowie, Md./Bowie) game-winning goal in the second half.

The 2026 PSAC West Athlete of the Year, Respecki has now accumulated 140 career points on 49 goals and 42 assists. She ranks second in program history in career goals, just two shy of Amanda Sharbaugh's (2008–11) school record of 51.

Fellow senior Grace Emanuel (Erie, Pa./McDowell) has also climbed Gannon's all-time offensive charts, totaling 111 career points on 40 goals and 31 assists. She ranks fourth in program history in career points and assists and fifth in career goals.

Emanuel joins Respecki and Hannah Shepard (Erie, Pa./McDowell) as four-time All-PSAC selections, with all three earning conference recognition in four consecutive seasons.

Gannon Climbs to Fourth in Atlantic Region NPI Rankings

Gannon has climbed to fourth in the Atlantic Region and No. 20 nationally in the latest NCAA Division II National Power Index (NPI) rankings.

The Golden Knights hold an NPI rating of 59.202 after improving six spots nationally from No. 26. Slippery Rock ranks third in the Atlantic Region and No. 18 nationally.
Atlantic Region NPI Rankings

1. Fairmont State (No. 15 nationally)
2. Kutztown (No. 16)
3. Slippery Rock (No. 18)
4. Gannon (No. 20)
5. Frostburg State (No. 26)
6. West Chester (No. 29)
7. Point Park (No. 56)
8. Millersville (No. 71)

The PSAC Tournament champion will earn an automatic berth into the NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Tournament.

Next for the Golden Knights
The winner of Sunday's PSAC championship will receive an automatic berth into the NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Tournament. The NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Selection Show is scheduled for Monday, November 9, at 7 p.m. on NCAA.com.