READING, Pa. – The No. 14 TCNJ women's soccer team headed to Penn State Berks on Saturday night for its first game against another regionally ranked opponent this season. In the first regional rankings released earlier this week that help determine NCAA Tournament selections and seedings, the Lions were ranked third in Region 4. Penn State Berks was eighth in that ranking.
That five-spot span felt much wider after TCNJ's 6-2 victory over the Nittany Lions. TCNJ outshot PSU Berks, 20-8, and the Nittany Lions were held scoreless until a pair of late, meaningless goals did a bit of scoreboard mending.
Ava Curtis put the Lions ahead, 1-0, when she took advantage of a failed clear and scored off the crossbar in the 21
st minute.
Gianna Coppola capitalized on another failed clear in the 33
rd minute as she beat PSU Berks keeper Sophia Gonzalez to the left to make it 2-0.
Berks had allowed just two total goals in its first five games, and the Lions surpassed that in the first half when
Gianna Minerva headed home TCNJ's third goal after a cross from
Ivonne Vasquez in the 42
nd minute. TCNJ carried that 3-0 lead into the intermission, and the lead doubled in the second half.
Emma Pascarella continued her hot start to the season with a breakaway goal in the 51
st minute for her team-leading seventh goal of the season to make it 4-0. Ten minutes later, a Curtis free kick found the foot of
Sophie Vieira, and she snuck one past Gonzalez inside the left post to make it 5-0 TCNJ.
After an early assist, Vasquez got a goal of her own in the 74
th minute, also scoring inside the left post.
Ella Van Dine assisted on this one that made it 6-0.
PSU Berks scored twice in the final three minutes of play to avoid the shutout, but the game was hardly in doubt by that point.
Pascarella and Coppola led the Lions with four shots apiece.
Corinne Byrum made a pair of saves in goal in her 74 minutes of action.
TCNJ returns to action on Tuesday night at Stevens at 7 p.m. The Ducks are ranked fifth in Region 4 and are also receiving votes in the national poll.
