Eagles Women’s Soccer Explodes For 8-0 Win In Season Opener

By: Laura Chapman
Assistant Sports Information Director
chapmal@juniata.edu • juniatasports.net

HUNTINGDON, Pa. – The Juniata College women's soccer team opened the season with a bang in an 8-0 win over Southern Vermont College (SVC) today. Seven different Eagles combined for the eight tallies in the match and sophomore Sarah Rhodes (Bloomfield, N.Y./Bloomfield Central) finished the game with two goals.

"It's always good to start the season with a win," said head coach Scott McKenzie after the opening of his 14^th season with Juniata women's soccer. "I used to coach that team, and work with that coach, and it was an honor to play against them. Our team gave it its best and we played very well. A lot of young players got some very important minutes, which really helps them grow. I couldn't be more happy."

The Eagles kept the pressure high during the opening 20 minutes of the match, pinning the Mountaineers deep in their own half. SVC eventually broke through into the Juniata half, earning a free kick in range of the goal. The Eagles were able to hold back the offensive push from the Mountaineers and the two teams continued to trade long balls and possession for another ten minutes.

At the half hour mark, senior Alicia Snyder (Jonestown, Pa./Northern Lebanon) played a ball through the Mountaineers back line to spring Emily Green (Marietta, Pa./Donegal) loose down the sideline. The play looked promising as Green's cross went straight to sophomore Michaela Lacek (New Tripoli, Pa./Northwestern). But SVC goalkeeper Katie Raymond was able to punch the ball away.

Raymond continued to hold off the Juniata attack, stopping a hard shot from Snyder that was bound for the back of the next. The Eagles were finally able to put the ball past Raymond when, in the 23^rd minute, senior Paula Pryor (Westbrookville N.Y./Burke Catholic) drilled a header in the net off a cross delivered from Lacek.

"Paula is a gifted athlete and a gifted soccer player," said McKenzie. "We saw some special qualities and some creativity out of her today that I'm sure we will see again."

With the lead in hand, the Eagles continued to hammer the Mountaineer goal. Minutes later, Pryor came within inches of a second goal. Senior Rose Lucidi (Bayville, N.Y./Locust Valley) took possession of the ball on the far wing and her centering-cross found Pryor's outstretched foot, but Pryor was unable to score.

With the ball pinned deep in the SVC end of the field; junior Katie Szczur (Johnstown, Pa./Richland) sent a corner kick into the penalty box. After a furry of shots on goal and two saves by Raymond, junior Shayna King (Easton, Pa./Easton Area) buried the ball into the upper netting for the second Juniata goal.

The Eagles seniors showed their determination in the home opener of their final season. After two initial saves by Raymond during an offensive barrage from Juniata, Lucidi muscled her shot past the Southern Vermont keeper off a cross from classmate Pryor.

"When a coach is willing to risk putting this much weight on their athletes, they always do it with the knowledge that the players can take it even if the players don't believe it," said McKenzie. "Today the seniors went a long way in showing that they can do it. I'm sure they'll continue to prove that."

The Juniata newcomers were not willing to be left out of the action. With less than eight minutes to go in the first half freshman Taylor Garraffa (Strasburg, Pa./Lampeter Strasburg) fired a shot at the Southern Vermont goal. The rebound off the save came right out to freshman Rebecca Hingley (West Chester, Pa./Huntingdon Area), but her shot was high over the cross bar. Garraffa continued to announce herself in her collegiate debut as she fired off a series of shots before the clock ran out on the half.

"It's wonderful to have the young players in there in important minutes producing," said McKenzie. "It's one thing to put your young players in and tell them just don't do anything wrong. We put our young players in and said challenge yourselves and they did. That will help them grow as players very quickly."

The second half started off much like the first with the Eagles offense continuously attacking the SVC goal. Lacek redeemed her earlier missed opportunity by notching her first goal of the match off a cross from Snyder. Pryor looked eager for a second goal, blasting a shot on goal, but right at Raymond who made the save. The rebound came right out to Rhodes who quickly found the upper corner for her first goal of the year. Rhodes would tally a second goal inside of ten minutes remaining in the match. The sophomore pounced on a through ball from Garraffa and slotted the ball near post.

"Sarah Rhodes is a tough kid," said McKenzie. "She is battling an injury right now. She just proves how tough athletes are – it doesn't make a difference whether you're male or female. If you're an athlete you are tough. She played a great game."

Two more Eagles scored in the closing third of the match. Junior Lauren Liacouras (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) buried a cross from freshman Olivia Claycomb (Saxton City, Pa./The Hill School) in the 69^th minute. With just under four minutes remaining in the match, Hingley powered her way through the Mountaineers defense and finished the ball far post into the low corner for Juniata's eighth score of the game.

Pryor finished the game with a team-high nine shots and one score and assist each. Lucidi fired off six shots resulting in one score with Lacek adding five more shots to the team tally. All together, the Eagles pounded the SVC goal with 56 total shot, 26 shots on goal, and eight goals.

Juniata next takes its powerful offense on the road for a matchup at Thiel College Saturday, Aug. 31. The Eagles return home next weekend to face Waynesburg University on Friday, Sept. 6^th at 5:00 pm, and Hood College Saturday, Sept. 7^th at 1:00 pm.

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