ERIE, Pa. – The Golden Eagle soccer team clamped down defensively against one of the top-scoring teams in the conference, but Clarion was unable to pull even with Mercyhurst in falling 1-0 to the Lakers on Friday afternoon.
Mercyhurst entered Friday's contest averaging the third-most goals in the PSAC in conference play, but the Golden Eagles held them well below their conference season scoring and shot on goal averages. But the Lakers were able to scratch out one goal against the tenacious Clarion defense, scoring in the 10
th minute on a shot by Lauren Casey.
The Lakers possessed the ball deep in Clarion's end when a failed crosser attempt could not be cleared by the Golden Eagle defense. The ball ended up on the foot of Casey, who lobbed it up from 15 yards out and picked the upper righthand corner of the net for her third tally of the year.
Clarion followed that up with their best scoring opportunity of the day in the 13
th minute.
Katelyn Shaffer corralled the ball from a pass to the middle and ripped a shot with her left foot, but Maddie Elbro was there to make the save.
Kylee Cross had another opportunity to put one away in the 70
th minute, but just barely missed on a hard, elevated shot toward the net. A long lead pass from
Alexis Moyer arced over the Laker defense and found Cross in a one-on-one situation with a defender, but her attempt at the upper left corner sailed just barely high.
Goalkeeper
Alex Velez made six saves on seven shots, moving her up to third in the PSAC in saves per game (6.27).
