First Half Goal Gives Golden Rams NCAA First Round Victory Over Women's Soccer

KUTZTOWN, Pa. – For the second straight season, the Frostburg State Women's Soccer team saw their NCAA hopes dashed by a PSAC foe, falling 1-0 to West Chester on Friday afternoon.
 
From the opening kick-off, WCU nearly grabbed the lead, as Jacqueline Hug dribbled right through midfield and fired just wide of senior Ashley Bilger's post. After a pair of Golden Ram corner kicks, FSU worked their first real attacking moment of the half with some high pressure, but junior Keely Knotts couldn't get enough power on her shot to truly test keeper Grace Keen.
 
Over the next 10 minutes, neither team could generate a meaningful scoring chance, until PSAC East Player of the Year Faith Matter went on a solo run, dribbling around a pair of Bobcat defenders and firing past Bilger for the opening goal 16 and a half minutes in. West Chester kept up their attack over the next period of play, forcing Bilger into another pair of saves four minutes apart, though Frostburg's defense did well to cut down the angles of each attempt.
 
Going in search of an equalizer, junior Mei Homman stepped up from defense to win a ball in WCU's half, then took a pair of dribbles and unleashed a long-distance effort that seemed destined for the top corner, only to see Keen make a flying save to force a corner. Senior Toni Fiocco-Mizer tried to capitalize on an opportunity in the box, as senior Hannah Thompson played the ball in, but a combination of Keen and a Ram defender forced the former to poke the ball wide of goal.
 
As the clock ticked inside the final three minutes, junior Carolyn DeSena and sophomore Mary Greco each tried long-range efforts, with the former missing left and the latter firing right at Keen. Matter nearly doubled West Chester's lead going into the half, making her way into the FSU box before being closed down by junior Cat Smith, allowing Bilger to make a clean catch for a 1-0 halftime score.
 
Six minutes into the second half, the Golden Rams were whistled for a foul, which Greco lofted into the box, as Smith forced another save from Keen right on the post. The rebound fell to Knotts, who fired towards goal and bounced in off of Fiocco-Mizer, but the latter was whistled offside, denying the equalizing goal.
 
WCU ramped up their intensity from that point, firing off four shots in the next 10 minutes. Matter came the closest to adding another goal, as she raced through Frostburg's defense, but was eventually chased down enough to see Bilger fall onto her shot. Both of West Chester's next shots would also come from their star forward, but one effort went wide while the other was blocked away by Homman.
 
Inside the final 20 minutes, sophomore Morgan Mrizek had a great chance to equalize, being found in the center of the box by a great Fiocco-Mizer run, but could only put her shot wide on her instep. Senior Lela Clark then swung a left-footed shot from outside the box that also missed the mark.
 
As time started to run down, sophomore Carly Gillette had a couple of shots to try and force overtime, with the first being headed away before reaching Keen and the second a turnaround effort from just outside the 18 that was gathered by the Ram keeper. A late Bobcat corner was swung in by Homman, but well defended by WCU, then Victoria Pungello raced ahead trying to seal the game, but Bilger was able to make the save. FSU wasn't able to get the ball back up the field in time to create another chance, as the Rams held on for the 1-0 victory.
 
Both sides were evenly matched, each firing off 12 shots with six on goal, while West Chester held a narrow 7-4 advantage in corner kicks.
 
With the loss, Frostburg ends their season at 17-3-2, while WCU advances to the next round at 15-3-3.