NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. – Freshman
Taylor Renk's first career goal in the early stages of the second half proved to be the difference maker for the Gators, as Allegheny defeated Westminster 2-0 in a non-conference tune-up at Burry Stadium.
Senior
Jessie Thiessen added an insurance goal in the 82nd minute to extend her goal-scoring streak to four games, while fellow fourth-year Coleen Fleming made six saves to earn her first career shutout in goal, as the Gators will now take a 3-4-1 record into their North Coast Athletic Conference opener in four days.
Westminster ended the first half with a slim 5-4 advantage in shots, but the Gators had a number of scoring chances, as evidenced by their six first half corner kicks. Fleming was tested early, making three saves in the first 28 minutes of action, before the Gators upped their offense toward the latter stages of the half. With just over 90 seconds left, Renk had a shot saved by Titan keeper Laura Page, before
Hannah Eisemann's shot with 40 seconds left beat Page but was knocked away by a defender to send the game into the half in a scoreless tie.
After the first eight minutes of the second half went by without a shot, Renk put the Gators on the board with her first career goal, as she made a move past a defender and buried a shot to the far lower post to make it 1-0 with 36:10 left in regulation.
Westminster responded to take the game's next six shots, but the Gator defense was up to the test, as Fleming made three saves between the 64th and 73rd minutes to preserve the clean sheet.
With 7:19 left in regulation, Thiessen gave Allegheny some much-needed insurance, as she dribbled through the defense and beat Page with a shot to the short side for her sixth goal in the past four games to double the Gators' advantage.
The Titans took the game's final two shots, but the attempts in the 84th and 87th minutes went off the mark, and Fleming and the Gators tallied their first shutout win of the season.
Westminster (4-4-2) ended the night with a 13-8 margin in shots, while the Gators enjoyed a 7-1 advantage in corner kicks. Page made two saves in the loss.
The Gators will return to action on Saturday, Oct. 1, as they open NCAC play with a 1 p.m. match against Wittenberg on Homecoming at the Robertson Athletic Complex. The Allegheny women's soccer program will be recognizing its 30th anniversary, as members of every team in program history will be recognized at halftime.
