By: Laura Chapman
Assistant Sports Information Director
chapmal@juniata.edu • juniatasports.net
Photo: JD Cavrich
HUNTINGDON, Pa. – The Juniata College women's soccer team will put its perfect 5-0 record on the line this Thursday, Sept. 19, at 5 p.m. against Saint Vincent College (SVC) on Winton Hill Field. The Bearcats are 4-2 on the year and are coming off a thrilling 1-0 overtime victory against Carlow University.
"It's going to be a close game," said head coach Scott McKenzie. "There are some powerhouse athletes that play for that team. They have one of the better center backs that we will face all year long."
The Eagles have outscored their opponents 22-3 this season and the Juniata defense has only allowed 16 shots on goal. The offensive production has been spread across the roster with nine different Eagles scoring goals this season. Six of Juniata's goals have been unassisted and 10 different Eagles have contributed to the teams' 16 assists this year.
"[This game is] a great next step for us," said McKenzie. "It'll make them feel like they are getting better. Each time we win a game, it adds validity to the wins before. The worst thing that can happen to any team is that they become complacent. Each time we continue to win over an opponent that is a step up from our previous opponent it makes everything make sense for them."
The Bearcats opened their season with a 5-2 win over Penn State Altoona. SVC then took to the road for a four game stretch where the team suffered two losses, but bounced back to take games over Franciscan University (OH) and La Roche College. In the overtime victory against Carlow, SVC outshot its opponent 23-7, but took until the 98th minute to score off a header from a direct kick.
"This is going to be a great contest of two teams that are high in confidence," said McKenzie. "Saint Vincent is playing well, we're playing well, it's certainly going to be a meeting of two coaches who have faith in their teams, two coaches who believe their team is going to be better that day, and for us it's the logical next step in how we are progressing in the competitiveness of our games."
The last four meetings between the two teams have come down to one-goal decisions. Since Juniata entered the Landmark in 2007, the Eagles are 3-2 against SVC, who participates in the Presidents Athletic Conference (PAC). Last year, SVC handed Juniata its first loss of the season when they scored two goals in a five-minute span to take an early first-half lead. The Eagles battled back, but were unable to score more than once.
"The girls have had a great buy-in into what we are doing and we are doing things differently than we have in the past," said McKenzie. "Success continues that buy-in."
Juniata holds the edge over SVC in goals, 6-4, and in total shots, 93-40, when the two teams meet. The Eagles have only been outshot by the Bearcats once, 2012.
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