PLYMOUTH, N.H. – The Plymouth State University women's soccer team defeated the Western Connecticut State University Wolves, 2-1, in Little East Conference (LEC) women's soccer action at Arold Field on Saturday morning.
In true fashion on Homecoming weekend, in which alumnae were celebrated in the
History of Champions – Honoring the History of Women's Soccer game, Plymouth State recorded its first win against WestConn since the 2003 season: its fifth victory all-time.
Junior
Nevaeh Petruzzi (Newmarket, N.H.) continued to prove she is a big game player scoring the Panthers' first goal. Petruzzi now has a goal in three of four conference games this season. Sophomore
Ella Fraser (Nottingham, N.H.) scored the insurance goal to put the Panthers up 2-0, securing the historic win.
Former Plymouth State head coach Nancy Feldman was inducted into the PSU Athletic Hall of Fame on Friday evening. Feldman and roughly 50 alumnae covering 46 years of Panthers' soccer were on hand to participate in the celebration. Feldman led the Panthers to a 75-10-6 record from 1990-94 and remains the winningest coach in Plymouth State women's soccer history.
PSU improves to 4-6-0 (1-3-0 LEC), while the Wolves slip to 7-5-1 (2-1-0 LEC).
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 2, Western Connecticut 1
- Plymouth State (4-6-0, 1-3-0 LEC)
- Western Connecticut (7-5-1, 2-1-0 LEC)
How it Happened:
- After a couple of WestConn flurries, the Panthers scored on their first opportunity in the seventh minute as Petruzzi slipped in behind the Wolves' back line and put home the first goal of the game in the lower left-hand corner to put Plymouth State up 1-0.
- In the 34th minute, a quick counterattack led Fraser in on a breakaway. The Panthers' forward took on the goalkeeper one-on-one and poked away the goal to double the PSU advantage.
- WestConn closed the gap 2-1 in the 56th minute to add to the drama of the afternoon.
- The Wolves managed twelve second half shots to just the one for Plymouth State, but the Panthers held on for the critical conference victory.
By the Numbers:
- WestConn outshot the Panthers 18-6.
- Shots on goal were in the Wolves' favor 6-3.
- The Panthers recorded two corner kicks to 13 for WestConn.
- The last win for the Panthers against their LEC counterpart was a 1-0 victory in 2003.
- Plymouth State had not scored two or more goals against the Wolves since a 2013 matchup.
- The Panthers are 5-24-3 in the head-to-head matchup against the perennial LEC powerhouse dating back to 1994.
- Petruzzi and Fraser continue to be tied for the most goals for the Panthers with seven each.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State will head to Middlebury College on Wednesday (Oct. 9) to face the Vermont Panthers at Allan Dragone Track and Field Complex. Kickoff is set for 4:00 p.m.
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