CLARION, Pa. — Clarion (4-6-4, 3-6-4) rallied from a 1-0 deficit late in the second half, tying IUP (5-4-4, 5-4-3) 1-1 on Wednesday at Memorial Stadium.
Samantha Gold scored the equalizer at in the 88th minute to preserve the point for the Golden Eagles.
The Golden Eagles held the Crimson Hawks scoreless through sustained early pressure and created chances of their own before a 40:11 goal by
Zoe Ans-Bitchoka left Clarion down 1-0 at halftime. Earlier, the Golden Eagles defended a 4:37-to-9:59 stretch that included five IUP corner kicks and two shots, with
Sage Sherk saving an on-target attempt to keep the match scoreless. Clarion pushed forward midway through the half, as
Alyssa Aquilio sent a shot out top right at 18:50 and
Carmella Simco put a shot on frame at 20:39 before the Golden Eagles earned a corner. Sherk continued to face pressure late, making saves at 37:19, 40:03, 41:49 and 44:45 around the conceded goal as the Crimson Hawks carried the 1-0 lead into the break.
Clarion got the equalizer in the 88th minute, as a stretch of sustained offensive pressure led to a corner kick.
Kelly O'Donnell lifted her corner from the left side over the mass of humanity in front of the net, with the ball falling at the foot of Gold. Gold fired a low hard shot past the keeper, pulling the Golden Eagles even with the Crimson Hawks at 1-1.
Earlier, Clarion absorbed IUP's pressure out of halftime, with Sherk saving three of the visitors' four shots between 45:49 and 52:25 while the Crimson Hawks were also whistled offside in the opening minute.
Paige Brewer registered the Golden Eagles' first listed shot of the half at 60:29, and Clarion played through a physical stretch that included a
Lexi Shattahi yellow card and fouls on both teams while the score remained 1-0.
IUP generated another extended sequence from 73:07 to 80:30, but Sherk made saves at 73:07 and 78:44 and the Golden Eagles got through a corner-kick sequence without conceding. After Gold's equalizer,
Evelyn Cook put another shot on goal at 88:31, and the half closed with the match tied 1-1.
Sherk finished with 10 saves over 90 minutes, making five stops in each half.
