Gophers Turn Back Royals, Start 1-0 in Landmark

Cole Stars on Offense, Shaner Shines in Goal in 15-6 Victory

TOWSON, Md. — Goucher had one player on offense that Scranton had trouble containing and a goalie that the Royals had trouble solving: Colleen Cole (Holliston, Mass./Northfield Mt. Hermon School) produced seven goals and Ashley Shaner (Pottstown, Pa./Pottsgrove) made 14 saves as the Gophers registered a 15-6 victory today in their first Landmark Conference game of the season.

The three goals Cole tallied in the first half were separated by only 2:10. Her first goal was off a free-position shot and provided the Gophers (6-6, 1-0 Landmark) with a 4-1 lead. The junior midfielder controlled the ensuing draw, raced down the field and stuck her second goal just :13 later.

Shannon Howe's unassisted goal with 11:50 remaining in the first half made the score 5-2, but another draw control by Cole led to her third goal of the contest just :15 later, restoring Goucher's lead to four.

The Royals (5-6, 0-1 Landmark) trailed only 6-3 at halftime, but never got any closer in the second half. In fact, just :48 into the period, the Gophers went ahead 7-3 thanks to an unassisted goal by Andi Lipson (Langhorne, Pa./George School).

Cole needed to take only 12 shots to come up with her seven goals. She is the leading scorer in the Landmark Conference with 42 goals through the first 11 games of the 2010 season.

The Royals finished with a slight edge in shots, 28-26, but Shaner made more saves today than in any of the other seven games she's started this season. By giving up only six goals, the freshman goalie raised her save percentage from .480 to .510.