Gophers Ground Eagles, Maintain Shot at Playoffs

TOWSON, Md. — Three of the seniors playing the final home game of their careers helped set up both of Goucher's goals in this afternoon's 2-0 triumph over Juniata that kept the Gophers alive in the battle for the one unclaimed berth in next month's Landmark Conference postseason tournament.

Alex Collier (Mount Airy, Md./Glenelg) and Gaby Davis (New York, N.Y./LaGuardia) were both awarded assists on the goal Alexa Stewart (Laurel, Md./Gould Academy) scored to end the scoreless tie in the 77th minute. It was the first goal of the season for the freshman midfielder, making her the 11th different player on head coach Tati Korba's squad to score a goal in 2015.

For Davis, it was her team-high fifth assist of the season and No. 15 for her career, which ties her with Sisley Pumilia (2007-10) for fifth place in the history of Goucher's women's soccer program.

The Gophers (8-6-2, 2-4 Landmark) went up 2-0 in the 83rd minute on a goal by Samantha Turner (Vineland, N.J./Vineland) that was assisted by Jessica Leffers (Germantown, Md./Northwest).

The goal was Turner's fourth of the season.

Juliana Harkavy (Memphis, Tenn./Ridgeway), another of the six seniors who were recognized in a pre-game ceremony, started in goal for Goucher and played all 90 minutes, earning her sixth shutout of the season by making eight saves. She is Goucher's all-time leader with 20 career shutouts.

Emily Harris (Bethesda, Md./Walter Johnson) and Liz Stradtman (Westminster, Md./Winters Mill) were both in the starting lineup for the Gophers as Korba had all six seniors on the field for the start of the game against the Eagles (5-9-1, 1-5 Landmark).

"This was a great and fitting way for our seniors to leave their home field," said Korba after the game. "They have been an amazibng class and they've raised the bar for our program."

Goucher is one of three teams that still has a shot at the one remaining spot in the playoffs. In order to make it, however, the Gophers must defeat Susquehanna in Selinsgrove, Pa. next Saturday and the other two teams in the hunt must finish in a draw. Those two teams are Drew and Moravian and they clash in Bethlehem, Pa. on the same day.

 "Today's wins keeps us in the hut for the playoffs," Korba went on to say. "Our game next weekend at Susquehanna is huge. And that's all you can really ask for."