Gophers Lose to Royals in Shootout Thriller

Baltimore, MD – Coming into today’s Landmark Conference match up the Gophers had never successfully beaten the University of Scranton.  Unfortunately for Goucher that record remains intact.  Today’s match up, however,  could not have been more even.  On a day when Goucher recognized its six seniors - Lizzie Barminski (Ventura, CA),  Annie Carter (Ann Arbor, MI), Sarah Cost (Waterboro. ME), Rachel Crain (Charlotte Hall, MD),   Danielle Hallacker (Freehold, NJ), and Celia Welch (Arlington, MA) – the battle before an engaged and vocal crowd at Beldon Field saw the Gophers overcome a 1-0 halftime deficit to tie the game on a goal at 55:13 of the second half by sophomore Maya Belin (Baltimore, MD) off an assist by classmate Jackie Juarez (Glendora, CA).  After a marathon of play – 70 minutes of regulation, 30 minutes of 7 versus 7 overtime play with no goals scored – the teams ended in a 1-1 tie and then proceeded to a shoot-out. 

Five players from each side dribbled and shot on the goalie in the shoot-out, and two from each side were successful, leaving the score tied again, 2-2. From that point forward the rules of play dictate that one player from each side shoots until a goal is scored.  It took only one shooter from each team in this second shoot out to decide the final outcome as Royal sophomore Elizabeth Tolley scored and Goucher’s junior midfielder Sarah Shklanko’s (Huntington Beach, CA) shot was stopped by the Scranton goalie.  The loss drops the Gophers record to 7-8 overall, and 2-4 in the Landmark Conference.  Scranton climbs to 5-10 overall and is also 2-4 in the Landmark Conference.  Goucher, Scranton and Drew all sit in a three-way tie for fifth place.

In regulation and overtime, combined, Goucher outshot Scranton, 24-16, and had 6 more penalty corners than the Royals.  The Scranton goalie, freshman Tate Ackerman,  made 13 saves and was arguably the difference in the game.  She stopped  sophomore forward Maya Belin numerous times in both overtime periods when Goucher had the ball in the Royals offensive zone consistently.

The Gophers finish their season one week from today when they visit Drew University for a 1:00 pm game.  A .500 season and a spot in the Landmark Conference playoffs is on the line for Goucher in its final regular season contest of 2016.