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COLLEGE WRAP-AROUND: Penn St win big over Dukes, RMU lose in OT & WVU draws Arkansas

From various reports

A full slate of Sunday action around the women’s college scene included games from the Penn State women’s invitational and Robert Morris’ second match of the season.

 

SECOND HALF SCORING SURGE PUSHES PENN STATE TO BIG WIN OVER DUQUESNE

No. 4 Penn State scored on a penalty kick in the 24th minute and added goals in the 59th, 62nd, 70th,  83rd, and 88th minutes in their 6-0 victory over Duquesne on Sunday afternoon. This was the second and final match of the Penn State Invitational.

Dukes keeper Kyra Murphy turned back 12 of PSU’s 33 shots. After making a diving save, Murphy was called for tackling a PSU player in the box, resulting in a converted PK in the 24th minute. The Dukes had their first scoring chance of the contest in the 41st minute, but Taylor ReQua’s shot went wide right. On the Dukes first corner kick of the match, Abby Losco fed Casey Aunkst, but her shot went high of the left corner.

The 33 shots by Penn State was the most Duquesne faced since Nov. 5, 2013 against Dayton in the First round of the Atlantic 10 Championship when the Flyers fired 31. This was Murphy’s second-highest save performance, she stopped 14 Dayton shots on Oct. 29, 2015.

With the game opening up in the second half, the Dukes had 11 more shots against Penn State than they did against Arkansas on Friday

“It’s difficult starting out the season with two opponents like Arkansas and Penn State,” Al Alvine, Duquesne’s Head Coach, said. “Kyra made some incredible saves today and we got a lot out of Alex Saturni. Playing top notch opponents like these will benefit us later in the season.”

WEST VIRGINIA SETTLES FOR 1-1 DRAW VS ARKANSAS

No. 9-ranked West Virginia University women’s soccer team proved its grit just two games into the 2018 season, battling back from an early deficit and holding off a pesky Arkansas side while playing with 10 players for nearly 24 minutes to settle for a 1-1 (2OT) draw in its final match of the Penn State Invitational this afternoon at Jeffrey Field.

“What a great weekend for us to face two tough opponents like No. 4 Penn State and Arkansas,” Mountaineer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown said. “I really saw a lot of character from this team this weekend, especially after going down a goal today. We didn’t give up.

“I got to see a lot of different players out on the field this weekend, and that’s going to be good for this team as we move forward this season. We have a lot to evaluate, and we have areas to improve. I always schedule a tough road stretch at the beginning of the season, and I’m getting exactly what I asked for this year.”

After conceding a goal in the 16th minute, the Mountaineers (0-1-1) dug their heels in and withstood multiple Razorback (1-0-1) fouls before earning a penalty kick in the 61st minute. Following the Mountaineers’ sixth corner kick, an Arkansas defender was whistled for a foul near the goal line. Senior defender Bianca St. Georges connected from the line for her third career goal.

The Mountaineers were then forced to play with 10 players in the 87th minute when senior forward Sh’Nia Gordon was assessed a yellow card and a red card. Despite the loss, WVU nearly secured the win in the 90th minute, as sophomore forward Lauren Segalla sent a flick to a streaking St. Georges wide right, who took a quick shot but was stopped at the right post by Arkansas’ Rachel Harris.

ROBERT MORRIS FALLS IN OT TO OHIO

Despite a career-high nine saves by Robert Morris University women’s soccer sophomore Sydney Bruckner, the Colonials dropped their home opener in overtime to Ohio, 1-0, this afternoon from the North Athletic Complex.

Bruckner surpassed her previous standard of eight, which was met four times during her freshman campaign.

Robert Morris (1-1-0, 0-0-0 NEC) has gotten 16 saves from its sophomore goalkeeper on opening weekend after she averaged 4.8 saves per game in 2017.

After Bruckner stopped a shot by Alivia Milesky in the 92nd minute, the ensuing corner kick provided the winner as Haley Miller connected with the head of Abby Townsend near the goal line.

RMU’s best scoring chance came in the 53rd minute with Brittany O’Connell carrying the ball down the right flank. She edged closer to the box and unleashed a powerful strike, which forced Ohio goalkeeper Sydney Malham to leap up and punch it over the crossbar.

Head coach John Kowalski‘s squad is back in action on Friday, August 24 when it kicks off a four-game road trip at Canisius.

Glory on the Grass

Riverhounds MF Kenardo Forbes

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