In a crossover match where they had to travel to Erie, Pa., the West Chester University Golden Rams (4-3-1, 1-2 PSAC East) soccer team came home with a tough defeat losing 1-0 at the hands of the Gannon University Golden Knights (5-2, 2-1 PSAC West). West Chester has now lost two games in a row and haven’t won a game since the beginning of September against Kutztown.
This was a matchup between two top 10 teams within the Atlantic region. West Chester sat seventh while Gannon was eighth in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America rankings heading into this game.
With less than twenty seconds remaining in the first half, West Chester junior goal keeper Justin Johnson made a save on sophomore Afrim Latifi, but Gannon did not give up on the play. Gannon’s junior forward Dan Howell took a pass from senior forward Adam Maduri and put a shot passed Johnson in the left side of the goal to score the first and only goal of the game.
Gannon held a slight lead in shots throughout the game, 15-13. West Chester had more corner kicks than the Golden Knights, 11-4. The game got physical as Gannon was called for 25 fouls throughout the contest.
This was Johnson’s second start of the season for West Chester but he was forced to leave with injury in the second half. Johnson recorded five saves. Sophomore Peter Weiss came in for the injured Johnson and recorded two saves. Gannon junior goal keeper Steven Boehmer recorded five saves for his third shutout of the season.
The Golden Rams return home on Tuesday, Sept. 23 in a PSAC East matchup against the Bloomsburg University Huskies at 2 p.m. On Saturday, Sept. 27 West Chester will travel to Lock Haven to face the Bald Eagles at 2 p.m.
LJ Harrell is a third-year student majoring in business. He can be reached at LH639694@wcupa.edu.