Box Score

ERIE, Pa. – Senior Molly Marsh found the back of the net twice Saturday to help the Mercyhurst College women's soccer team upend Malone University, 3-1. 

The win improves the Lakers overall record to 5-2-1 while their conference record remains at 2-2-1.  After suffering the loss, Malone is now 0-6-0 overall this season.

The Lakers first score came when freshman Kiley Cleveland made a run with the ball inside the box only to be fouled, giving the Lakers their first penalty kick of the season.  Sophomore Aina Torres took the kick and promptly cashed her fifth goal of the sesson. 

The Lakers played aggressively with the 1-0 advantage and the tactic paid off at the 38:58 minute mark when another foul was assessed on Malone giving the Lakers a free kick from 35 yards out.  Molly Marsh kickled the ball out of reach of Malone's keeper Angie Nutial.  The top-shelf goal marked Molly's fourth of the season.

At halftime, the Lakers led 2-0, taking 14 shots compared to Malone's two.  Mercyhurst also took four corners in the first half, where as the Pioneers didn't take one.

The Lakers insistent attack didn't stop in the second half as it took them only three minutes to post their third goal of the afternoon. Sophomore Gabrielle Catrabone battled for a loose ball on the far side of the field. Once she won possession, she made a crossing pass that found Marsh.  Marsh shot from 15 yards out sneaking past the goalie for her team-leading fifth goal of the season.

The Malone offense finally broke through the resilient defense of the Lakers at the 68:48 minute mark, Brianna Moran tucked the shot just inside the near post for the lone Pioneer goal.

The Laker win was a true team effort with 19 players stepping onto the pitch.  Nine players took a shot. Out of those nine, five put their shots on goal. 

Sophomore Perrin Kern, junior Olivia Resch, and senior Renai Medeiros combined to act as a wave that dismantled any Pioneer attack, the defense for the Lakers limited the opposition to just three shots throughout the match, one of which was on target.  Senior Megan Macko and junior Sara Hawksworth battled for possession in the middle of the field, winning the majority of the time. 

Sophomore Sarah Slezak, freshman Kiley Cleveland, and sophomore Katie Michaelis provided a boost to the offense off the bench while graduate student Lekeisha Gumbs, freshman Kiersten Jungling, and sophomore Emily Adamski supplied the Lakers with fresh legs on the defense.

All told, the Lakers outshot the Pioneers 22-3 and took 10 corners while limiting Malone to zero.  Griepsma moves to 5-2-1 on the season after the win while her counterpart Sam Soeder lost her first game of the season as she came on in relief.

The Lakers are back in action on Wednesday, Sept. 28 when they travel to Shippensburg University to take on the Raiders.  The game is scheduled for a 3 p.m. start.