Box Score
GRANVILLE, Ohio – The Allegheny women's soccer program cemented the best start in program history with a thrilling, 1-0, victory over reigning NCAC champion Denison at Barclay Thomsen Field on Saturday. Nicole Mascia delivered the game-winning heroics with an unassisted strike in the 78th minute.
The Gators (12-0-2, 3-0-1 NCAC) are one of just eight remaining unbeaten teams in Division III, while the Blue and Gold have already surpassed its win total from 2009. Junior Emily Karr, who returned to the lineup for Saturday's conference showdown, extended her shutout streak for the season to 1,010 minutes while securing her 11th clean sheet. The consecutive shutout minutes streak is a school record and the eighth-longest in NCAA history.
Allegheny weathered a furious start by the Denison (8-5-2, 2-2-0) attack, which forced Karr to make five saves in the first 19 minutes of play. In the fifth minute, Maggie Hoskin hit the post, while Joselyn Festle's follow-up attempt was blocked at the goal line by the Gator defense. The Big Red outshot Allegheny, 8-2, in the first half, although the club's headed to the break tied at zero.
Denison's pressure extended into the early part of the second half, where The Big Red added three shots to their total in the first four minutes of action. Once again, Allegheny proved resilient to the danger while mounting counter-attacks to Denison's chances. In the 53rd minute, Alex Gordon tested Andrea Karl, and the Gators broke the scoreless deadlock following a missed chance by Jen Klemmer.
Mascia had just checked into the match prior to the score. Stripping the ball from a Denison defender, Mascia roped a shot from the left side into the upper right 90 for her fourth goal of the campaign. Hoskin hit the cross bar for the second time of the afternoon right after the score, although Allegheny kept The Big Red outside of the offensive third in the final 10 minutes to secure the win.
Playing in front of a large crowd, Allegheny avenged a 3-0 loss at home last season to Denison, while pulling out its first victory over The Big Red since 2003. Karr finished the day with seven stops as the Gators were outshot, 14-7. Denison, which was caught offsides three times, generated all four corner opportunities.
Allegheny is ranked No. 20 in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America national poll.
