By: Laura Chapman
Assistant Sports Information Director
chapmal@juniata.edu • juniatasports.net
Photo: JD Cavrich Photography
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Juniata College women's soccer team secured a place in the Landmark Conference tournament today with a 1-0 victory over Catholic University. The Eagles survived an onslaught of 17 shots from the Cardinals, made four team saves off the end line, and got a late second half penalty kick goal from senior Alicia Snyder (Jonestown, Pa./Northern Lebanon) to qualify for postseason play for the first time since the 2010 season.
"It was two very good teams who played two very different halves of soccer," said head coach Scott McKenzie. "We held on in the first half. It was a pretty stiff breeze and it was blowing in our faces and that's always the 12th man for the team that has the wind at its back. We escaped the half unscathed. I told the team at halftime, they did the hardest part of handling the 12th man and now we need to take advantage of the wind for us. We need to take a few more risks, get on the offensive, and they did."
Catholic outshot the Eagles 7-2 in the first half and got the better in the corners 4-0, but the Juniata defense bent and didn't break. In the 29th minute, the Cardinals earned a corner kick and forced a Juniata team defensive save off the line and a save by freshman goalkeeper Erin Mueller (Bedford, Pa./Bedford). Catholic had another similar exchange in front of the Juniata goal in the 32nd minutes, but the collective defense by the Eagles didn't allow the ball across the goal line.
"I've talked a lot about defense with this group and the team's commitment to collective defense – to everyone doing their part," said McKenzie. "Rose Lucidi saved a ball off the line that was going into the net today. Alicia Snyder saved a ball off the line that was going into the net today. Katie Szczur saved a ball off the line that was going into the net today. It was a testament to everybody's commitment to do everything they had to do to put our team into a strong position into the postseason."
Juniata opened the second half with back-to-back corner kicks before Catholic fired off three shots on the Eagles goal in the space of 20 seconds; the Juniata defense, Mueller, and the well-placed goal post denied the shots. The Eagles continued to pressure on the Catholic end of the field, out cornering the Cardinals 4-1 in the half.
In the 78th minute, Snyder was in position to score the game-winning goal when she was fouled inside the penalty box. After she got up from the grass, she stepped up for the penalty-kick and buried home her shot. In her four years with Juniata women's soccer, Snyder has taken, and made, all penalty-kicks for the Eagles.
"Conventional wisdom in this sport is that the person that is fouled doesn't take the kick," said McKenzie. "They are thought to be too emotionally involved and unable to settle themselves down to take the kick. When I saw Alicia go down in the box all conventional wisdom just flew out the window because it's Alicia. I knew she would be calm and she was."
The Eagles took the 1-0 lead with ten minutes remaining. Juniata was able to get behind a rattled Catholic defense and earn a few more scoring opportunities, but could not net an insurance goal. The Cardinals found their legs again and launched a barrage of attacks at the Eagles goal firing 10 shots in the second half alone. Mueller finished the match with 10 saves for the sixth team shutout of the year.
"[These seniors] made postseason as freshmen and they are making it as seniors," said McKenzie. "Trying to maintain a high level of performance over a career is exhaustingly difficult. These girls are proving that you can have success later. You can burn bright once and still keep shinning."
The Eagles face Penn State-Altoona next Tuesday at 7 p.m. for their final non-conference regular-season game. Juniata next returns home Saturday, Nov. 2, at 1 p.m. in the first half of a double header with the men's team against Drew University.
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