By: Laura Chapman
Assistant Sports Information Director
chapmal@juniata.edu • juniatasports.net
Photo: JD Cavrich
HUNTINGDON, Pa. – Juniata College women's soccer remains unbeaten on the year at 5-0 after a 2-0 victory over King's College this afternoon. The Eagles faced a fast paced King's team, but were able to counter with speed and power of their own.
"This game for us was a lesson in preparation with regards to us discovering how they were going to play," said head coach Scott McKenzie. "We prepared a game plan that helped make them more predictable. I'm most proud of our girls in that they followed the game plan and really took the bite out of a very effective King's attack."
Inside of 10 minutes into the half, the Eagles had a golden opportunity when senior Paula Pryor (Westbrookville, N.Y./Burke Catholic) powered through two Lady Monarchs and centered the ball into the box. Sophomore Michaela Lacek (New Tripoli, Pa./Northwestern) managed to beat her defender to the ball, but was unable to get her foot on it.
In the 16th minute, junior defender Katie Szczur (Johnstown, Pa./Richland) stepped up to take the first corner kick of the match. As the cross sailed into the box, junior Shayna King (Easton Pa./Easton Area) wrestled with the King's defender marking her and was just able to flick the ball toward the back post. Sophomore Emily Green (Marietta, Pa./Donegal) was ready to pounce and headed the ball home for her third goal of the year.
"You can be physically big or you can be mentally big," said McKenzie. "I think Emily Green just has the heart of a lion. She knows you don't think she is going to get there which makes her want to get there even more. Those are the kind of athletes you just love to surround yourself with."
The Lady Monarchs were not willing to concede the match without a fight. King's fired off four shots in the half and forced Juniata goalkeeper Erin Mueller (Bedford, Pa./Bedford) to make three saves. But the back line of Szczur, junior Lillian Dudek (Downington, Pa./Upattinas School) and freshman Devin Kos (Bellefonte, Pa./Bellefonte Area) held strong as they have all year long. The Eagles defensive core, along with senior midfielders Rose Lucidi (Bayville, N.Y./Locust Valley) and Alicia Snyder (Jonestown, Pa./Northern Lebanon), have held Juniata opponents to just 19 combined shots in the first five matches of the season.
"I've got to give all the credit in the world to our defending players," said McKenzie. "The three of them, Lill, Katie, and Devin, all played spectacularly as did Rose and Alicia. The game plan worked flawlessly and I'm very happy that they were able to execute it."
Pryor netted her team-leading fifth goal with less than four minutes remaining in the first half. Fellow senior Jenna Rodrigue (Manchester, Conn./Manchester) slotted a ball through the Lady Monarchs defense to free Pryor. The King's goalkeeper charged out to meet her, but Pryor powered through the tackle and scored on an open net.
The Lady Monarchs maintained a high level of pressure throughout the first half hammering four shots at the Juniata goal and earning one corner. But King's really put its foot on the throttle at the start of the second half. Within five minutes King's had two corner kicks and forced Mueller to make a save. After 10 minutes of second half play in their own end, the Eagles drove into the King's end of the field. Pryor carried the ball down the wing and crossed it into the path of Lacek, but once again, she was unable to connect after beating her defender.
"Michaela was very dangerous today," said McKenzie. "The nice thing about having the depth that we do is if they shut down one person we have many more we can go to."
The Eagles were very efficient shooting today, taking just six shots on the day, four on frame and two of those finding the back of the net. The two first half goals were all Juniata needed to put away King's and improve to 5-0 on the season.
The Eagles next play at home Thursday, Sept. 19th, at 5 p.m. against Saint Vincent College.
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