Charleston, Wv. – The University of Charleston faced a hard-fought 13-8 loss to Gannon University at the Welch Athletic Complex on Saturday morning in a tightly contested match.
The Basics:
Location: Welch Athletic Complex
Score: UC 8, GU 13
Records: UC 7-4 (1-1 MEC), GU 3-6 (0-2 PSAC)
How it Happened:
After suffering a couple of setbacks, the Golden Eagles were eager to bounce back in front of their home crowd. However, Gannon had other plans, coming out with high intensity. Within the first four minutes, the Golden Knights had already jumped to a 3-0 lead. UC Head Coach Ryland Luciano called a timeout to regroup his team, and it paid off. The Golden Eagles responded with three consecutive goals to tie the game, with Willow Cooper scoring twice to level the score. Gannon managed to regain the lead with a goal just before the end of the quarter, putting them up 4-3, but the contest was still wide open.
The second quarter remained fiercely competitive. UC's freshman goalkeeper Jozette Rimkus made some crucial saves, while Madison Partridge found the back of the net with an assist from Hayden Slinkard. Both teams exchanged goals, and the half ended with the score tied at 6-6.
Coach Luciano made a change in goal to start the second half, bringing in junior Megan Liston. Despite the switch, Gannon came out of the break strong, scoring first and then taking a 9-6 lead with a free-position shot with 6:16 left. UC struggled to slow down Gannon's offense, as the Golden Knights added two more goals to push their lead to 11-7.
In the final quarter, UC struggled to find their rhythm offensively, with Willow Cooper scoring the only goal for the Golden Eagles in the period. Gannon sealed the game with two more goals, ultimately finishing with a 13-8 victory.
With the loss, UC's record drops to 7-4. Willow Cooper led the team with 3 goals, while Hayden Slinkard contributed 4 assists in a special matchup against her twin sister.
Up Next:
The Golden Eagles will return home for an MEC showdown against West Virginia Wesleyan College on Thursday, April 3rd, at 5 PM at the Welch Athletic Complex.
