By Alex Kurtz
Sports editor
Nationally-ranked Misericordia proved to be too much for Susquehanna as the women’s soccer team fell on the road 2–0 on Tuesday, Sept. 4.
The River Hawks surrendered two early goals and were unable to manage any form of comeback attempt.
Misericordia spent most of their possession time on the Susquehanna side of the field, which led to a 15–4 differential in shots, with nine of those attempts being on goal.
The Cougars’ domination of possession also led to a 5–0 differential in corner kicks.
Sophomore goalkeeper Madison Welliver led Susquehanna with seven saves on the day.
Senior forward Kate Cantrell had two shots on goal in the contest.
The Cougars bombarded the Susquehanna goalkeeper early with two strong shots on goal. Welliver was able to save one attempt and the other sailed over the net.
Misericordia would find the first goal of the game on a cross 13 minutes into the game from freshman midfielder Kendall Pearage on an assist from junior midfielder Jordyn Martini.
Four minutes later, Martini would add a goal of her own on a counter attack. Junior midfielder Jeanna Orfanos had the assist on the play.
The Cougars would threaten Susquehanna again with two corner kicks in two minutes, but the River Hawks stopped both attempts.
After the unsuccessful corner kicks from Misericordia, the rest of the half would remain uneventful and the Cougars would take the two-goal lead into halftime.
In the second half, the River Hawks were able to put four shots on goal, but none were able to find the back of the net. The game finished with a 2-0 final score.
Cantrell was almost able to convert a shot early in the 47th minute, but it would go wide of the net. Ten minutes later, she would take a shot yet again but that too was unsuccessful as Cougars sophomore goalkeeper Alexis Bennedeto made the save.
With the loss the River Hawks fall to 1–1–1. The women’s soccer team returns to action at home on Saturday, Sept. 8 at 3 p.m. against nonconference opponent PSU Harrisburg.
The Nittany Lions currently sit at 1–2 on the season and head into Selinsgrove on a two-game losing streak.
PSU-Harrisburg won their first game against Deleware Valley 4–0 on Aug. 31 but fell to Dickinson 4–0 and Landmark Conference opponent Elizabethtown 3–0.
Freshman midfielder Kaeleigh Smedley and junior defender Elizabeth Clippinger come into the contest with the River Hawks as the current goal leaders for the Nittany Lions.