Erie, Pa. - The Mercyhurst Women's Soccer team welcomed Bloomsburg to Saxon Stadium this evening for their 2023 home opener. The Lakers put together a well-rounded performance to come away with a 1-0 win, improving their record to 1-1.
How it Happened
Mercyhurst got on the board early from a dazzling goal off the foot of
Corinne Morgan. Off a perfect pass from Maddie Hoover, Morgan beat the keeper and found an open net to give the Lakers the lead. The goal is also the first of Morgan's career. Morgan commented on her teams performance by stating that "We were able to keep the energy high at all times, and continually put pressure on their defense to make plays."
In recent years, Bloomsburg has had an edge over the Lakers, but the squad reversed that trend tonight and plan to use the momentum going forward.
Head Coach
Rich Wall commented on the win by saying that "Tonight was a big momentum builder that can hopefully change our future. We have to follow this up with more quality and consistency, but I am excited about what we can do and I am so thrilled for the upperclassman because I think this has been a long time coming."
The Laker defense held steady all night long, and
Taryn Baxter is a key component to that defensive unit. When asked about the teams upcoming matchups, she stated that "We are a very talented group of girls, and if we continue to play like a team, we are confident in our ability to beat our upcoming opponents."
With the last two PSAC West Defensive Player of the Year recipeints, in Baxter and
Maddie Elbro, the Laker unit isn't one to give up too many goals. Assistant Coach
Lizzie Philibin adds that "It's all about energy and that we need to keep energy levels high day in and day out moving forward."
Highlights
Corinne Morgan, a freshman from Port Republic, N.J., scored her first career goal as a Laker. Maddie Hoover collected her first assist of the 2023 season after recording three in 2022.
Maddie Elbro helped pitch a shutout in goal with her collecting a pair of saves on the night in the effort.
Next Game
The Lakers are back in action on Wednesday, September 6th, as they travel to Seton Hill for a matchup with the Griffins with kickoff set for 3:00 p.m.. Mercyhurst's next home match is scheduled for Saturday, September 9th, as they welcome Clarion to Erie, Pa. at 2:00 p.m.
