MIDDLETOWN, Pa. – The Penn State Harrisburg women's soccer team hosted its home opener Saturday, Sep. 8 against the Mt. Aloysius Mounties. The Lions had a hard week of practice to prepare for their home opener after seeing tough competition last week against Dickinson College and the College of Wooster that gave the ladies two tough losses to start their season. The blue and white bounced back in a big way against the Mounties, besting the visitors 7-0 thanks to three goals by Nikki Francis (Pottstown, Pa. / Owen J. Roberts) and two from Kara Hoy (Camp Hill, Pa. / Camp Hill).
The Lions started off a little tentative but it only took a few minutes for the team to settle into the game and start knocking the ball around. They created plenty of early quality chances but it was the local product in Hoy who would get the team's scoring drive started with a tough shot to the top right corner, netting her first goal of the season.
Four minutes later, Rachel Shetler (Peqliea, Pa. / Penn Manor) used her speed and determination to drive the ball all the way from midfield past three defenders before getting the Lions their second goal of the day. Tabitha Pranke (Seven Valleys, Pa. / Spring Grove) definitely help set the tone for the game today with a bone crunching tackle around midfield that no one on the field will soon forget, especially the Mountie attacker.
Head Coach Adam Clay made it clear during pregame warm-ups that his team could not to give up early or late goals in the game if victory was expected. In the first two games, the women gave up goals with one minute and three minutes remaining in the first half, drastically changing the game against their favor.
Today, the ladies not only held off late goals, but also scored one of their own with a great ball from Hoy to Lindsey Haldeman (Grantville, Pa. /Hershey Christian) and back to a running Hoy who finished with a header to the right corner for her second goal of the game. This put Penn State Harrisburg at 3-0 going into the half.
The blue and white would continue their strong play in the second half when Lyndsay Naughton (Reading, Pa. / Reading Central Catholic) scored from another Haldeman cross off a corner kick.
After the fourth goal, the contest quickly became the Francis show. The speedy sophomore scored the Lions final three goals to record the hat trick on the day. She finished with scores and an assist. Hoy added an assist to go along with her two goals as well.
"It was really great to see Nikki fight back so hard and have a complete good game," said Clay. "She missed an early scoring chance but kept her head and did not let it affect her as you can tell from the second half hat trick."
Unfortunately, Mother Nature reared her ugly head in the second half in the form of lightning, forcing the game to be called with 17:44 remaining on the clock.
"Although I was extremely happy that the girls had the opportunity to score some goals today, my favorite part of the game was when the ball was moved from our right back to our center back to our left back and up the other side of the field," said Clay. "That is the next level soccer we are trying to play consistently."
The Lions now turn their attention to conference play. The ladies have a full week to prepare for their first North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) matchup of the 2012 season. Penn State Harrisburg will travel to Gallaudet University in Washington D.C for a match next Saturday, Sep. 15.