Box Score
GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Senior
Hannah Theurer (Darnestown, Md./Northwest) struck for an early goal and sophomore
Kiera Loftus (Westfield, N.J./Westfield) preserved the win with a last-minute save as the Gettysburg College women's soccer team captured its home opener with a 1-0 non-conference victory over Stevenson University Thursday evening at Clark Field.
The Bullets (1-1) earned their first win of the season in a match that was originally scheduled to be played one night earlier. The same two sides played a scoreless opening half on Wednesday before the contest was postponed due to heavy thunderstorms.
It was the 10th career goal and the fifth game-winner for Theurer, who also scored the only goal in the Bullets' 1-0 victory at Stevenson last year.
Gettysburg, which outshot Stevenson 10-4, has now allowed just one goal through its first 188 minutes this season and has blanked its first two opponents in regulation.
The Bullets had the Mustangs (1-1) on their heels right from the start, outshooting the visitors 4-1 over the opening 11 minutes. Gettysburg had a pair of good looks early, as sophomore
Alexa Bushey (West Chester, Pa./Bayard Rustin) rocketed a direct kick off the crossbar in the third minute before Stevenson keeper Tiffany McKee made a sliding save on a Theurer header on the right post four minutes later.
Theurer broke through in the 11th minute, when she eluded a defender near the top-right of the box and nestled a left-footer just inside the near post.
Gettysburg nearly struck again in the 18th minute, when junior
Jessica Cuttone (Mahwah, N.J./Mahwah) had a long-range shot deflect off the crossbar.
A pair of Bullet defenders helped the lead stand up midway through the period, when juniors
Maddie Heaney (Allendale, N.J./Northern Highlands Regional) and
Gillian Sencindiver (Strafford, Pa./Conestoga) converged to strip the ball from a Stevenson striker who had broken free inside the box on a breakaway.
Gettysburg held a 5-1 shot advantage in the opening half and continued its strong defensive effort in the second period. The Mustangs were denied a shot on goal for nearly the entire game until they were awarded a corner kick with just over a minute remaining. However, that's when Loftus came up big, snuffing out a header from Lauren Spivey with a diving stop in the middle of the cage.
It was the only save of the night for Loftus, who earned her first career victory and shutout. McKee finished with three saves for Stevenson.
Gettysburg returns to non-conference action on Saturday, when it hosts Elizabethtown College at 4 p.m.
