Photo by Kristina Moncelsi
By Anthony Heller
SPRING GARDEN, Pa., September 28
Susquehanna Women’s Soccer traveled to York to take on the Spartans on Wednesday night, claiming a fifth consecutive win and a clean sheet. The River Hawks have not conceded a goal since their trip to Virginia three weeks ago, as they kept their fifth this year at York.
Susquehanna recently moved into the Region V rankings, slotting in at eighth after a four-game winning run. York came into the rankings published on Tuesday at seventh in Region V, having come off the back of an impressive win against #24 McDaniel. The River Hawks delivered the Spartans’ first home defeat of the season.
The visitors started strong, getting their opener after just nine minutes. Delaney Morton prevented the Spartans from fully clearing their lines after a cross from Ellie Betheil targeting Mikela Florio, and the junior rifled past the York goalkeeper to open the scoring, as she scored for the second game in a row.
Susquehanna outshot their opposition in the first half, 5-2, and during the 90 minutes, 12-11, first-year Paisley Tornatore was forced to make seven saves en route to her fourth clean sheet of the year. Both sides had a pair of shots on target in the first half, Morton’s goal-finding strike joined by an effort from Emily Wertz that was saved by York goalkeeper Jacqueline Keogh.
Wertz, the River Hawks’ leader in shots, had six of the team’s 12 efforts but did not get her name on the scoresheet. It was Gillian Maack that came closest to doubling the River Hawk advantage, having an effort on 65 minutes that hit the crossbar. York had three shots on target in the final 13 minutes of the night, but Tornatore stood her ground in goal and kept all three out.
The River Hawks move to seven wins from 10, including five in a row, as they look to continue their charge toward the national rankings. They have four more road games to come before they return home again: at Moravian, Penn College, Goucher, and Juniata before hosting DC-based Catholic at Sassafras Field on October 15.
