Box Score CLARION, Pa. – A gallant effort by the Clarion University women's soccer team fell just short Tuesday night, as the Golden Eagles fell, 1-0, to Kutztown, the first-place team in the PSAC at Clarion's Memorial Stadium.
 
“I thought we did very well,” Clarion head coach Rob Eaton said. “I thought it was a very good collegiate soccer game. You couldn't tell one of the top-ranked teams in the country from Clarion tonight. With the injuries we've had this year, I was very pleased with our effort.”
 
Clarion sophomore keeper Laura Saussol, who had 12 saves in the game, continued her outstanding play making four or five big saves to keep the Golden Eagles (2-8-5 overall, 2-7-3 PSAC) in the game. Her best save might have come in the 45^th minute when she batted a Diana Malagna shot headed for the upper-middle of the net over the crossbar. She also made a pair of key saves early in the second half before finally being beaten by Mariah Dimm in the 69^th minute after Kutztown (10-4-1, 9-2-1) took a corner shot, the ball stayed in the box for a while and Clarion couldn't clear.
 
“Laura made four or five huge saves,” Eaton said. “They had four or five clear-cut chances. They could have beaten us 4-0, 5-0. She did her job, as did most of the players. But we are light on the attacking end because of all the injuries. It's tough to ask players who aren't attacking players to be attacking players.”   
 
Clarion had a solid chance to score just before the Kutztown goal, but Golden Bear keeper Alina Rakiewicz was able to stop Bethany Naugle from 5 or 10 yards in front in the 67^th minute.   
 
“That would have been a huge goal,” Eaton said. “We are a team that can hang on. When we score first, we are tough to beat. That would have made a difference. But Bethany played well.”
 
Naugle led Clarion with a pair of shots on goal, while Lauren Barbour also had two shots, one on net.
 
Sam Costello played a monster game for Kutztown, which was coming off a 5-0 win over Mercyhurst and averages nearly two goals a game, with seven shots, including four on net, and controlled play in the Clarion end for a lot of the night helping the Golden Bears outshoot Clarion 30-6 including 13-4 on net. Malagana and Taylor Higgins added six shots apiece with Higgins putting four on Saussol and Malagana one.
 
Clarion returns to action Oct. 24 at West Chester.