Box Score

GETTYSBURG, Pa. – An inspiring defensive effort by the Gettysburg College women's soccer team held No. 1 Messiah College off the scoreboard and led to a 0-0 tie in a non-conference match at Clark Field on Wednesday night. Senior goalkeeper Danielle St. Pierre (Londonderry, N.H./Trinity) played brilliantly with 10 saves and the Bullets' backline held its own against the fifth-ranked offense in NCAA Division III.

Messiah (7-0-2) came into Wednesday's affair with 42 goals in eight contests this fall, averaging 5.25 goals per match. The Falcons generated a number of opportunities in the match, taking 27 shots overall, but the majority of those attempts were blocked by charging Gettysburg (2-1-3) defenders or were stopped cold by St. Pierre. In the opening 12 minutes alone Messiah fired four shots, three of which were saved by the Bullets keeper.

In the second half, the Falcons pushed the issue with 10 shot attempts, but St. Pierre was up to the task with six stops, including three in the final 5:20 of regulation. At the start of the first overtime period Messiah pressed the advantage and forced a corner kick within 30 seconds of the opening tap. Rachel Horning fired the kick into the box and Amanda Naeher appeared to have the game-winner with a header, but the shot clanged off the right post. St. Pierre saved the only other shot on goal in the second overtime session to preserve the scoreless tie.

Junior Tara Gaston (Newtown, Conn./Newtown), sophomore Sarah Yeager (Westport, Conn./Staples), and freshman Lauren Johnson (Morristown, N.J./Morristown-Beard) formed the nucleus of Gettysburg's defensive effort, starting and playing all 110 minutes. Senior Caitlin McCarthy (Darnestown, Md./Holy Child) was also a major contributor on the defensive end and managed a kick-save of an on-goal shot in the first half.

The Bullets managed three shot attempts and two corner kicks in the contest. Sophomores Casey Harper (Ocean View, N.J./Ocean City) and Lauren Walsh (Ridgefield, Conn./Ridgefield) each took shot attempts that sailed wide of the mark, while freshman Chloe Zeltmann (Nesconset, N.Y./Smithtown) posted the team's only shot on goal with a weak header early in the second half.

Gettysburg resumes its Centennial Conference schedule this weekend with a road trip to Haverford College on Saturday, Sept. 27. Game time is slated for noon.