SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. — The Golden Eagles soccer team got off to a good start on the road on Wednesday, but Clarion lost to Slippery Rock 6-2 in a PSAC West game. The Golden Eagles were held to five shots while facing 28 from The Rock, including a 17-1 margin after halftime.
Kelly O'Donnell put the Golden Eagles in front in the seventh minute, scoring on a sequence that came off a free kick deep in Slippery Rock territory. After The Rock's Bella Gianfrancesco committed a foul in her defensive end, Sophia Barba set up for a free kick from the left side of the field. She lobbed a ball deep into the box that was headed by
Sydney Taracatac over to O'Donnell, with the latter booting it past the keeper for her first career goal to make it 1-0.
The Rock answered through Eden Williams in the 19th minute, then Sophia Palermo scored twice to leave the Golden Eagles facing a 3-1 deficit by the 28th minute.
Sage Sherk made a save on Jilly Deivert at 28:57 as the Golden Eagles handled additional pressure, and
Mia Valerio brought the Golden Eagles back within 3-2 in the 39th minute off a
Carmella Simco assist. Clarion's second goal of the game also came off a free kick, with Barba deep in her own end booting the ball into Slippery Rock territory.
Samantha Gold centered the ball to Simco, and Valerio finished with her second goal of the year with a shot into the upper left hand corner. The Rock had a corner kick at 40:04, but the half ended with the Golden Eagles trailing 3-2.
The Golden Eagles kept the second half within reach through extended The Rock pressure, holding the score at 3-2 through two attacking stretches from 48:41 to 65:45 while
Sage Sherk made five saves. Sherk stopped shots by Sophia Palermo, Abby Paterline, Lilia Battalini, Miley Kariotis and Libby Earley, and the Golden Eagles also defended two corner kicks during that span. After The Rock hit the woodwork in the 71st minute and Sherk saved another Palermo shot, O'Donnell put the Golden Eagles' lone recorded shot of the half on frame at 72:31. The Rock then scored three times in the final 15 minutes — at 75:44, 76:39 and 89:05 — and the Golden Eagles were held scoreless in the half as the match finished 6-2.
