CLARION, Pa. – The Clarion soccer team held their own with one of the favorites in the PSAC West division, but the Golden Eagles were nipped by a late goal in falling 1-0 to Mercyhurst at Memorial Stadium.
The contest played out in sort of a mirror image of last year's game at Memorial Stadium, in which both sides played evenly until very late in the game. It was even the same player who broke the scoreless deadlock in the second half; Emily Mijares potted the lone goal for either side, this time with a header in the box that ultimately proved the game-winner.
Alex Velez stood tall in the net, making seven stops against the Lakers.
The Golden Eagles worked to gain their footing in the first half as the Lakers dominated the opening minutes in terms of possession. Mercyhurst put three shots on Velez, including a dangerous shot from Dani Hartman in the third minute that Velez punched over the crossbar.
Clarion did settle things down, though, and eventually began to put on some offensive pressure of their own. In the 23
rd minute,
Hailey Dobb beat a defender cleanly and passed upfield for
Taylor Serrano, but Serrano's subsequent dish to
Madison Spitko saw Spitko get ahead of the play and draw an offsides whistle.
The second half started out with the teams trading possessions, but not shots, until an attempt by Mijares in the 57
th minute of action. Mijares had another big opportunity in the 63
rd minute, drilling a shot from inside the box, but Velez quickly identified the shot and brought it in for the save.
Dobb made the save of the game in the 66
th minute, heading a shot at the goal line into the crossbar and out of danger. Mijares eventually did break through, though, cleaning up a rebound off a shot by Madison Hoover and heading it into the open net to give Mercyhurst a 1-0 lead.
