PHILADELPHIA – Behind five different goal scorers and a total team effort, the University of Pennsylvania women's soccer team beat Delaware State 6-0 at Rhodes Field on Monday night.
Freshman Abbey Duncan scored the first goal of her career and finished with two plus an assist; Cameron Keating and Abby Reed both scored their first goals and Emma Loving and Paige Howard also scored.
NOTES
*Penn notched its 11th shutout of the season, just two off the program record.
*Kiera Towell put together a clean sheet in net and picked up her second win of the season.
*Abbey Duncan, Cameron Keating and Abby Reed scored their first goals. Keating also had an assist.
*Paige Howard scored for the first time since the season opener.
*Emma Loving converted on a penalty kick created by Ann Manella, who also finished with an assist – her first career point.
*Romie Boyd recorded the first point of her career from the center back spot, assisting on Duncan's first goal.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Penn immediately jumped all over Delaware State, but it took some time breaking down the Hornets. There were a bunch of early chances, including one for Emily Sands in the 17th and Allie Trzaska in the 22nd minute. Katharine Larson sent Sands running in behind, but her left-footed shot just trickled past the far post and Sands also hit the cross that Trzaska got on the end of, but her shot was saved.
You got the sense a goal was coming and in the 25th minute, it came. Off a corner, Delaware State defended well and cleared the initial danger. The clearance, however, bounced out to Abby Reed, who took a touch and blasted one into the bottom corner from long distance.
Just over 10 minutes later,
Romie Boyd launched in a free kick that
Abbey Duncan collected and volleyed home to double Penn's lead. The goal was Duncan's first of her career.
The Quakers weren't done before the break, either. Duncan came tearing down the middle of the field as runners began shaping their routes and a gap opened for
Paige Howard. Duncan slipped Howard through and she calmly placed her shot past the keeper to make it 3-0.
Penn kept it moving offensively in the second half.
Ann Manella created the next goal for the Red and Blue. She battled, bruised and bullied her way into the box with determination and then eventually drew a foul in the box, leading to a penalty kick for
Emma Loving. Loving finished it off, her second goal of the season making it 4-0.
Manella – who made a serious difference in the second half, including one terrific turn in front of the Penn bench when she let the ball come across her body, leaving the defender behind her – linked up with Howard before sending Cameron Keating streaking in behind the defense. Keating whipped in a cross that Duncan tucked away.
Keating would later score on a short corner from Howard, finishing off a dominant 6-0 performance.
Kiera Towell earned her second win of the season, securing a clean sheet in goal and was forced into action for a sharp save. On the stat sheet, it was the only save Towell needed to make, but her distribution from her feet was solid and helped Penn keep possession in critical moments.
The win concluded non-league action as Penn hosts Brown on Saturday for a chance to clinch a share of the Ivy League title.
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