CLARION, Pa. — Clarion (3-9-2, 3-6-2 PSAC) came up just short in a 2-1 loss to California (PA) (1-11-2, 1-8-2 PSAC) on Saturday evening at Memorial Stadium, despite dominating offensively with 23 total shots and nine on goal.
The Golden Eagles came out strong, setting the tone early with sustained pressure from
Ciara DiMauro and
Marisa Colondrillo, who each challenged Cal's goalkeeper Autumn Bishop in the opening minutes.
Evelyn Cook and
Paige Brewer added to the attack, keeping Clarion on the front foot for much of the half.
Defensively,
Sage Sherk stood tall in goal, recording a key save in the 14th minute to keep the match level. Clarion continued to dictate possession and tempo late in the half, generating quality chances from Emily Sauve and Colondrillo, but Bishop's sharp play in net sent both teams into the break scoreless.
The Golden Eagles continued to create opportunities early in the second half, with
Alyssa Aquilio and
Leah Deal each testing the Vulcan defense. Against the run of play, Cal U found the opener in the 61st minute, briefly shifting momentum.
Clarion answered in the 73rd minute after a Vulcan foul, when
Madison Rose's free kick struck the crossbar and
Lexi Shattahi capitalized in the scramble inside the box to level the score. The Golden Eagles kept pressing for a late winner, but Cal U's Alexis Brown netted the decisive goal in the 88th minute.
Clarion's attack controlled much of the match, led by DiMauro and Colondrillo, who each tallied five shots. Cook, Brewer, and Sauve added to the offensive pressure, contributing to the team's 23 total attempts and nine on goal. Sherk anchored the defense with two saves while facing six shots over 77 minutes of play.
