PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania women's soccer team jumped on Mount St. Mary's early, scoring in the seventh minute, then controlled the game to secure a 1-0 victory at Rhodes Field on Sunday evening.
The 90 minutes were filled with near misses, but the Quakers' goal was no mistake and a thing of beauty. Breukelen Woodard scored her second goal in as many games, serving as the beneficiary of crisp passing that resulted in assists for Emily Sands and Paige Howard.
NOTES
*Ashley Gabor secured 90 minutes of shutout soccer in goal, earning the first victory of her career.
*In five all-time meetings with Mount St. Mary's, Penn is now 5-0, outscoring the Mount 14-0 in the process.
*Breukelen Woodard scored for the second time in as many games, doubling her scoring total from an injury-riddled 2018.
*Paige Howard recorded her first point of the season, assisting on Woodard's goal.
*Emily Sands now leads Penn with four points, picking up her second assist of the year, to go along with her one goal.
*Penn's 20 shots are the most this season. It's 11 on goal are as well.
*The Quakers totaled 12 corners, matching the total from Friday night's match against Fairfield.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Penn wasted no time jumping on the Mount, taking the lead with a seventh-minute goal. The Quakers, even early in the contest, saw plenty of the ball and connected well in the midfield. On the goal, Paige Howard – as she did all afternoon long – drove at defenders. Once a Mount defender finally stepped to engage Howard, she slipped Emily Sands in behind the defense. As Sands entered the penalty area, she calmly squared a ball across the box to Breukelen Woodard, who gently pushed her finish past the keeper for a quick 1-0 start.
From there, the scoring was complete, but the chances kept coming. In the 26th minute, Sands drilled at the back four and slipped Howard through, but the keeper was quick off her line – like all game – to make a big save.
In the second half, Penn didn't stop. The Quakers racked up 12 shots in the second 45 minutes alone, but couldn't add to the lead.
The Mountaineers didn't give in, either. The Mount put just four shots on goal on Sunday, but its best chance of the night came in the 67th minute, but junior goalie Ashley Gabor was ready for the challenge, making a big save to preserve the shutout.
#FightOnPenn
