(SCRANTON, Pa.) – A second half surge and a total team effort helped Wilson down Marywood on the road Tuesday afternoon. A four-goal third quarter helped the Phoenix take the lead, while the defense buckled down on the Pacers in the fourth quarter to limit just four shots in preserving the win.
The Basics
Score: Wilson 10, Marywood 8
Venue: Marywood Turf Field
Records: Wilson 5-1, Marywood 3-4
How It Happened
- Both teams were quick to score with Marywood lighting up the scoreboard first after Avery Meighan won the opening draw control and went down and scored 25 seconds into the contest. Jill Ahlgren (Sr., Mercersburg, Pa. / Mercersburg) returned the favor to tie the game less than a minute later. Meighan added another before Sage Lague (Jr., Fairplay, Md. / Goretti) scored an equalizer still inside five minutes after the start. It would be a sign of things to come despite the Pacers taking the lead going into the second.
- The Pacers took advantage of a card charged to the Phoenix and scored a player-up goal 4:27 into the second, but a foul on the hosts led to Wilson closing the gap back to one as Lague scored on a free position shot. Marywood added an eight-meter score of its own before Ahlgren caused a turnover which transitioned into another Lague goal after the clear to set the score 5-4 in favor of the Pacers at the half.
- Ahlgren and Lague took control of the game in the second half. Ahlgren won the draw and found Anna Gibson (Sr., Cecil County, Md. / Perryville) who connected with Lague to tie the game just nine seconds in. Ahlgren won the ensuing draw once again and this time tucked it in herself after she received the helper from Sadie Fike (FY, McClure, Pa. / Mifflin County) to give the Blue and White their first lead just over three minutes into the third. Marywood was able to answer on another Meighan score, but Wilson was able to score a player-up goal as Ahlgren hit a free position shot. Ellisa Gamby-Mickey (FY, Chambersburg, Pa. / Chambersburg) reeled in the draw control and Lague took a dish from Ahlgren for a two-goal lead 27 seconds later.
- Marywood didn't quit and Meighan put the Pacers back within one with under two minutes left in the third. Gibson gave Wilson another two-goal cushion as she scored early in the fourth, but once again Meighan kept the Pacers in reach less than a minute later. Special teams became a factor once again as a card was charged to the Pacers shortly after and Lague made it count as she scored on an assist from Ahlgren with 8:31 to go on the game.
- By that time the Phoenix defense was already in lock down mode. Marywood was only able to get off two shots the rest of the way. The first was blocked, and the second was saved by Krystal Kienast (Sr., Purcellville, Va. / Loudon Valley).
Inside The Numbers
- Lague and Ahlgren both led the offense with six points each. All of Lague's came on goals while Ahlgren tallied her's on a hat trick and three assists.
- Gibson's two points proved critical as her assist tied the game to start the second half and her goal ended up being the game winner.
- Defensively Wilson got a masterful effort from Kienast who set a new career-high with 15 saves. She faced double that amount on the day and picked up five ground balls to help the Phoenix.
- Ahlgren also picked up five ground balls and caused just as many turnovers. Once again she was a force on the start as she pulled in eight draw controls.
- Emily Young (Jr., Fairfax, Va. / Chantilly) was also a mainstay defensively as she caused four turnovers. Gamby-Mickey and Kenna Shearer (Sr., Chambersburg, Pa. / Chambersburg) were also busy on the back lines with three ground balls each.
- Meighan paced the Pacers across the field. She scored five goals and an assist for six points on the offensive end, while defensively she added five ground balls, four caused turnovers, and five draw controls.
For The Record
- This was the first meeting all-time between the two schools.
- With the win, Wilson sets a new mark for the best start in program history.
Up Next
Wilson will square off against Elizabethtown in a rescheduled game. The two were originally set to play on Leap Day, but the game is now set to be played AT Elizabethtown on Thursday. It will take place under the lights with a 7 p.m. start.
