The Elizabethtown College women’s soccer team faced off against the University of Scranton Royals on Saturday, Oct. 10, shortly after the men’s team suffered a narrow defeat against the same opponent. The Blue Jays entered the Landmark Conference matchup looking to strengthen their conference record, but Scranton proved to be a difficult opponent in a competitive contest.
The Royals established an offensive presence early, putting pressure on Elizabethtown’s defense throughout the opening minutes. Scranton generated several scoring opportunities, forcing Blue Jays goalkeeper Ella Smith to make a series of important saves.
In the 12th minute, Scranton’s Jenna Borelli fired a shot toward the upper-left corner of the net, but Smith reacted quickly to keep the contest scoreless.
The Royals continued to challenge the Blue Jays’ defense, with Lena Madjor recording two shots on goal in the 19th and 20th minutes. Smith successfully turned away both attempts, preventing Scranton from gaining an early advantage.
Although Etown had a strong defensive effort, Scranton eventually broke through in the 23rd minute. The Royals capitalized on an offensive opportunity, giving Scranton a 1-0 advantage.
Elizabethtown nearly responded immediately. In the 24th minute, sophomore Meghan McGonagle fired a shot that struck the left goalpost, narrowly missing an opportunity to even the contest.
The Blue Jays continued looking for an equalizer, but Scranton maintained control of most offensive opportunities throughout the remainder of the first half.
Smith continued her impressive performance in goal, recording six saves during the opening 45 minutes. Despite being outshot 12-3, Elizabethtown entered halftime trailing by just one goal.
In the 53rd minute, Scranton extended its advantage when Faith Sullivan received a pass from Natalia Dobush and found the back of the net. The goal gave the Royals a commanding 2-0 lead, forcing Elizabethtown to overcome a two-goal deficit.
Despite the setback, the Blue Jays continued battling for opportunities to get back into the contest.
Their persistence finally paid off in the 74th minute when Chayse Flood received an assist from McGonagle and scored her first goal of the season. The goal cut Scranton’s advantage to 2-1 and gave Elizabethtown renewed momentum heading into the final 16 minutes.
Just three minutes later, Junior Sky Shinnen nearly brought the Blue Jays level with a shot toward the upper portion of the net. However, Scranton goalkeeper Makenzie Van Arsdale made the save, preserving the Royals’ narrow advantage.
The Blue Jays continued fighting until the final whistle, but Scranton’s defense prevented another breakthrough.
Scranton finished the contest with a 23-5 advantage in total shots and an 11-0 advantage in corner kicks. Smith recorded an impressive seven saves for Elizabethtown, while Van Arsdale finished with just one save.
The loss moves Elizabethtown to 4-5-3 overall and 2-2-0 in Landmark Conference play. They will face Catholic University on Wednesday.
