By: Laura Chapman
Assistant Sports Information Director
chapmal@juniata.edu • juniatasports.net
Photo: Laura Chapman
SELINSGROVE, Pa. – The Juniata College women's soccer team improved to 2-2 in Landmark Conference play this evening, defeating Susquehanna University 2-1 on Sassafras Field. With the win, the Eagles improve to 11-4 and set a new record for wins in a season. Senior Paula Pryor (Westbrookville, NY/Burke Catholic) tallied her team-leading 13th goal setting the single season goals record.
"It is different to play on turf," said head coach Scott McKenzie. "It's a different monster. I thought we gave the ball away too much tonight. I thought we needed to do a little bit better of finding our own feet. But again, it is nice to be able to hold ourselves to a high standard. Three years ago, this would have been a miraculous performance, and now it is something we expect. They raised the bar with what is considered a good effort, what is considered a good game. That's exactly what teams are supposed to do, continually challenge each other and raise the bar. That's what we've done."
It took until the 42nd minute for the Eagles to get on the board. With 3:01 remaining on the clock, Pryor jumped on the end of a through ball from sophomore Emily Green (Marietta, Pa./Donegal) and slotted the ball far post for the 1-0 lead. Juniata outshot the Crusaders 4-2 in the first half.
"Paula is going to enjoy the fruits of her very very hard labor," said McKenzie. "She started a single game as a freshman, had only one goal, one assist. Now, she's setting single season records. Can you think of her not on the field? It's a testament to hard work. Freshmen come in, they expect the world to be laid out in front of them at times, eventually they realize, you have to work your tail off. Again, can you imagine, me, this season, in a game, without Katie Szczur or Paula Pryor? That's exactly what we did their freshman year. So you stick to your plan, you work hard, you are unselfish, and you're going to become the player that you're going to become. And I'm so happy for Paula."
The game continued to be a midfield battle with Susquehanna outshooting Juniata 8-4 in the second half, but the Eagles getting the better in corner kicks, 2-0. Less than one minute after entering the match, sophomore Sarah Rhodes (Bloomfield, N.Y./Bloomfield Central) headed in the game-winning goal over the Crusaders goalkeeper to put Juniata up 2-0 with 20 minutes remaining.
Susquehanna made the game interesting, pulling within one with a goal of their own in the 84th minute. But the Juniata defense held strong to pull out the win. The Eagles next travel to Washington, D.C. to face Catholic University in the second to last conference match of the year.
"It's Catholic on Saturday," said McKenzie. "It's a huge game. [Assistant coach] Kaleigh [Herring] and I have seen them play. We think we have a good idea of how we can be dangerous. And it's practicing the next couple days to have our kids understand how we can be dangerous playing our game. We're in charge of our own fate. Today we had to win, and we did. Hopefully we do the same thing on Saturday."
Juniata next returns home Saturday, Nov. 2, at 1 p.m. in the first half of a Landmark double header with the men's team against Drew University.
Follow Your Eagles! Stay up-to-date on your Juniata College Eagles by following us on twitter (@JuniataEagles) and on Facebook (Juniata Eagles).
