By: Laura Chapman
Assistant Sports Information Director
chapmal@juniata.edu • juniatasports.net
Photo: JD Cavrich Photography
HUNTINGDON, Pa. – The Juniata College women's soccer team is making a return to the Landmark Conference postseason after just missing out in the last two years. The Eagles will host the Drew University Ranges for the second time in four days, this Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 2:30 p.m., in a rematch of the final game of the regular season. Juniata won last Saturday, 3-0, to qualify second in the tournament, the highest seeding in program history, and earn home field advantage.
"It's good to be playing at a level that gets us back to the competitive level of postseason play," said head coach Scott McKenzie. "I don't think we've strayed far from that level, but at the right times of the year, the last two years, we have not been able to do what we needed to do. This year, at the critical times of the year, we were able to do what we needed to do. Very happy to be back amongst the quality teams in the Landmark trying to find out who, on that day, is going to be of the highest quality."
The game on Saturday marked the eighth meeting between the two teams since the foundation of the Landmark. With the win the Eagles are now 3-5 against Drew and have set a new program single-season conference-wins mark with four victories. The Rangers also finished the regular season with a 4-2 conference mark and an overall 14-3 record.
"Drew is a high quality opponent," said McKenzie. "They play at a high level and it's going to incredibly difficult to beat a high quality team twice in four days. We are also a high quality team. It's going to be difficult for them to manage the same set of expectations for the second game in four days."
The two teams were scoreless on Saturday until the 68th minute when senior Paula Pryor (Westbrookville, N.Y./Burke Catholic) took a cross from classmate Alicia Snyder (Jonestown, Pa./Northern Lebanon) for the eventual game-winning goal. The Eagles scored twice more in the 83rd and 88th minutes. On the year, Juniata has scored a conference-leading 53 goals and is tied for first with The University of Scranton in team assists at 34.
"The danger is that we feel complacent," said McKenzie. "The danger is that we feel that the result [for Saturday] is predetermined. [Assistant coach] Kaleigh [Herring] and I have talked a lot about practice today and tomorrow; it has to be back to business, back to preparing for a high quality opponent. I'm sure [Drew head coach] Christa [Racine] is back at Drew saying, 'this is where we can exploit them.' She's a smart coach, she has smart coaches that work with her, and she's going to make the appropriate adjustments. We have to understand that a very different Drew team may be arriving here Wednesday."
The Rangers currently rank third in the Landmark in goals scored with 40 and fifth in assists with 24. The Drew defense is fourth in the league in both goals against (24) and goals against average (1.36). Rangers' senior midfielder Liz Loiodice is tied with Juniata's Pryor for number one in the league in total goals with 15.
"Liz Loiodice is a dangerously athletic player," said McKenzie. "Lillian Dudek did a wonderful job of managing that athleticism. I think Lill took that on as almost a personal comment on her stamp on the game on Saturday. Liz is going to be dangerous."
The Juniata defense ranks second in the Landmark in goals against, conceding just 19 goals this year in 18 matches. The Eagles are tied with Catholic University of America for second in goals allowed during conference matches at six. The victory over Drew marked the seventh team shutout for Juniata this season and the second of a Landmark opponent.
"We have to talk about what's the natural mental response right now and how do we fight against what might be a natural reaction," said McKenzie. "Kaleigh and I have to assume a very business-like approach a practice. We have to answer some matchup questions and figure out exactly how we're going to keep attacking Drew with the same level of effectiveness we did on Saturday. They are going to feed off what Kaleigh and I do. If we show up and say, 'you played well on Saturday. You earned the win on Saturday, but that doesn't pay you at all forward to Wednesday.' If they read that from us then we'll be ok. They'll work hard."
The two teams have met once before in post-season play, back in 2010. On that day in Madison N.J., the Rangers came out on top 3-1. Juniata will look to add yet another notch to their record setting season and win a program-first postseason game.
"This team has some goals," said McKenzie. "Kaleigh challenged them when she said we've broken all these records and they asked what's the next one and she laid down the challenge by saying, 'win a playoff game.' The gauntlet has been placed."
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