Gophers Rally for One Goal, Still Finish One Short

TOWSON, Md. — Goucher had still not attempted its first shot by the time it Elizabethtown took a 2-0 lead in the 59th minute of today's Landmark Conference game played on Beldon Field.

Over the next 27 minutes, however, the Gophers outshot their opponent, 6-0, and finally cashed in at 85:41, reducing the Blue Jays' lead to 2-1 thanks to a goal by Alex Collier (Mount Airy, Md./Glenelg).

That turned out to be the home team's final scoring opportunity, though, as Elizabethtown came away with a 2-1 victory.

The Blue Jays (6-4-1, 1-1 Landmark Conference) went up 1-nil in the 27th minute when Katrina Morales lofted a ball that floated over the outstretched arms of Juliana Harkavy (Memphis, Tenn./Ridgeway), who played all 90 minutes in goal for Goucher. This was only the second time head coach Tati Korba's squad trailed in the first half of a game the entire season.

Elizabethtown added to its lead at 58:49with Morgan Chambers knocking one in from just a few yards out for her second goal this season.

The first scoring opportunity for the Gophers (6-3-2, 1-1 Landmark) came in the 65th minute when Collier launched a high shot from the middle of the field that came dangerously close to going in, but just cleared the crossbar.

Saves by the opposing keeper, Dana Robidoux, on shots taken by Samantha Turner (Vineland, N.J./Vineland) and Courtney Kwaloff (Damascus, Md./Damascus) kept Goucher off the scoreboard in the 80th and again in the 85 minute.

Jessica Leffers (Germantown, Md./Northwest) assisted Collier's goal.

The Gophers will play two games on Beldon Field again next week. The first one, on Wednesday, is against Hood and is set for a 4 p.m. start.