TOWSON, Md. – Senior Mary Haggerty (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City) scored the go-ahead goal in the 59th minute and The University of Scranton women's soccer team (7-2-3, 4-0 Landmark) remained unbeaten in conference play with a 2-1 victory over the Goucher College Gophers (3-3-5, 0-2-2 Landmark) on Saturday afternoon at Beldon Field in Towson.
Haggerty took a feed in the box from junior Emily Bannon (Middletown, N.Y./Minisink Valley) and buried the eventual-game winner at the far post for a 2-1 lead. The goal was Haggerty's second of the season and Bannon notched her seventh assist, which is tied for the Landmark Conference lead and ranks in the top 20 in all of Division III.
Goucher opened the scoring just 0:30 into the game when Nora Neall sent a pass to Cassidy Scott who found the back of the net for the early 1-0 advantage. However, Scranton responded just five minutes later when senior Claire Mulholland (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee) gained possession following an errant clearance by the Gophers' backline and blew past a defender before finishing the chance with a low shot to the far post that evened things at one. Later in the first half, the Royals nearly took the lead in the 25th minute when a shot by fellow senior Niamh Healy (Orangeburg, N.Y./Tappan Zee) hit the crossbar and then Goucher goalie Madison Gutierrez made a save on a shot by Haggerty.
The goal was Mulholland's first of the season.
Scranton took the lead with Haggerty's afore-mentioned go-ahead goal in the 59th minute and nearly extended the lead a few minutes later when Gutierrez recorded saves on attempts by Haggerty and Healy. Protecting a one-goal lead, the Royals were able to preserve the victory after allowing just two shots over the final 25 plus minutes and junior goalie Nicole Olson (Stoughton, Mass./Ursuline Academy) turned away both attempts.
Head coach Colleen Pivirotto's team held a 14-6 shot advantage on the day led by five apiece from Haggerty and Healy, while Olson registered three saves in the victory.
Gutierrez tallied six saves in the setback for Goucher.
The Royals return home to host Wilkes in a Landmark Conference battle on Tuesday evening at Weiss Field with action slated to get underway at 7 p.m.
--ROYALS--
