HUNTINGDON, Pa. – Senior Niamh Healy (Orangeburg, N.Y./Tappan Zee) scored the lone goal of the game in the 35th minute and The University of Scranton women's soccer team (9-2-3, 6-0 Landmark) defeated the Juniata College Eagles (4-8-1, 0-5-1 Landmark) by a score of 1-0 on Saturday at Gibbel Stadium in Huntingdon.
In the 35th minute, freshman Jazzel Meikleham (East Syracuse, N.Y./East Syracuse Minoa) sent a pass to Healy in the box and the latter rifled a shot to the far post past Eagles' goalie Avery Zales for a 1-0 lead. The goal was Healy's team-leading 14th of the season, which is also tops in the Landmark Conference and ranks in the Top 20 nationally.
Scranton nearly took the lead in the opening minute when junior Samantha Goffice (Gilbertsville, Pa./Boyertown Area) saw her shot saved by Zales. The offensive pressure continued to mount for the Royals and Zales added two more saves in the early stages of the game. Healy's shot hit the crossbar in the 33rd minute following a corner kick and the Orangeburg, N.Y., native then struck with her afore-mentioned goal in the 35th minute to make it a 1-0 game in favor of the visitors. Zales made a pair of saves on shots by freshman Jenna Borelli (East Islip, N.Y./East Islip) in the final five minutes of the half as it remained a one-goal game.
Healy saw an attempt in the 49th minute ricochet off the crossbar after senior Mary Haggerty (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City) delivered a ball into the box on a corner kick. Despite several chances over the remainder of the half, the score remained 1-0 and Scranton's back line preserved the shutout by limiting the Eagles to just one shot over the final 45 minutes as an attempt by Ashley McWilliams went wide of the target in the waning seconds.
The Royals held a 22-2 edge in shots led by six apiece from Haggerty and Healy, while junior goalie Nicole Olson (Stoughton, Mass./Ursuline Academy) tallied one save for her fifth shutout of the season.
Scranton will head to Drew for a matchup of the top two teams in the Landmark Conference standings on Tuesday night. Game time in Madison, N.J. is slated for 7 p.m.
--ROYALS--
