Katrine Berg and Emma Faso each scored two goals as the fifth-ranked William Smith College soccer team defeated Penn State Behrend, 6-0, in a non-conference contest on Cozzens Field on Sunday afternoon. With the win, the Herons are now 7-1-2 on the season.
Julia Berg and Ella Reish also scored in the victory. Ruth Hotaling added a pair of assists. Kirsten Nelson and Amanda Kesler each played 45 minutes in goal as William Smith notched its seventh shutout of the season. Morgan Harding played all 90 minutes in goal for the Lions (2-8-1), making 10 saves.
KEY STATS:
- William Smith finished the game with a 28-3 advantage in shots and an 8-1 edge in corner kicks.
FIRST HALF:
- Katrine Berg opened the scoring in the third minute. She collected a rebound and buried her shot in the lower left corner of the cage. It was her second goal of the season.
- Faso gave William Smith a 2-0 lead in the 31st minute and chipped a shot from inside the six-yard box into the corner of the cage. Ruth Hotaling was credited with an assist on the goal.
- Julia Berg gave William Smith a 3-0 lead in the 42nd minute. She blasted a shot from outside of the 18-yard box into the upper right corner of the cage.
SECOND HALF:
- Faso’s second goal of the game extended William Smith’s lead to four goals. Her team-leading sixth goal of the year was assisted by Julia DiMenna and Hotaling. Faso redirected DiMenna’s crossing pass into the back of the net.
- Katrine Berg added her second goal of the game in the 72nd minute. She slipped a shot from near the penalty spot into the lower left corner of the goal.
- Less than two minutes later, Ella Reish added her third goal of the season to conclude the scoring.
COACH’S CORNER:
“It was a terrific weekend for Heron soccer,” Head Coach Aliceann Wilber said. “Our development team had a game against Nazareth today and came back from a 1-0 deficit. Maggie Speckhart had a hat trick, which is fabulous. Then to get the Berg twins on the board in the same game against Behrend, it doesn’t get much better than that.”
Wilber added, “I do think that Behrend’s record doesn’t equate with their ability as a team. They are a strong athletic team. I thought that from yesterday to today we grew some in terms of combination play and defensive solidarity.”
UP NEXT:
William Smith will be back in action next Saturday, Oct. 8, when begins a four-game road trip against Clarkson. The game in Potsdam, New York, is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].