West Chester falls to Franklin Pierce in chaotic NCAA quarterfinal

West Chester University Women’s Soccer saw their season come to an end on Saturday in the NCAA Division II Quarterfinals, falling to Franklin Pierce 3-2 in extra time. Goals from Katie Dougherty and Faith Matter sparked a comeback for WCU, but ultimately the offensive effort from McKenna Maguire and Olivia Crespo was too much for the hosts, who bow out of the national tournament.

West Chester made it to the quarterfinal by prevailing over West Virginia State, Fairmont State, and Shepherd University, who WCU lost to in the PSAC Conference semifinals earlier this season. Having avenged their conference tournament defeat, they faced yet another familiar opponent in the national quarterfinals in Franklin Pierce.

Saturday’s match was a rematch of the 2022 NCAA DII Quarterfinal, which West Chester won 2-1 in extra time. 2022 was WCU’s first national semifinal appearance since the 2006 season, which also featured a win over Franklin Pierce in the quarterfinal round.

It was a disorderly start to the match for the hosts in West Chester, as Franklin Pierce opened the scoring only five minutes into the match. Pierce winger McKenna Maguire strolled past her defender before squaring the ball to striker Olivia Crespo, who nutmegged WCU goalkeeper Grace Keen to open the scoring early. Pierce doubled the lead only ten minutes later. Maguire picked up the ball 30 yards from the goal, turning her defender and going on a mazy run before
finishing in the bottom corner past Keen. Two great goals set up by Maguire put WCU in a hole in only the 16th minute. Just after the second goal, Pierce were in on goal again only a minute later, but Keen got down to make a crucial save for West Chester, keeping the match alive.

WCU received a lifeline in the 38 th minute when Pierce defender Samantha Breton kicked out at a West Chester player, receiving a second yellow card and being sent off by the referee. West Chester gained momentum late in the first half, now playing up one player. The Golden Rams finally cashed in on their sustained pressure just before half when a perfect Victoria Pungello delivery from a corner was headed home by freshman phenom Katie Dougherty. The senior
Pungello’s 8th assist came at a perfect time, and the defender Dougherty claimed her second collegiate goal. The halftime whistle was blown with West Chester trailing 2-1, but possessing plenty of momentum.

West Chester started the second half the same way they ended the first, with the wind in their sails and confident they could win the match after the Franklin Pierce red card. WCU cashed in on their momentum in the 55 th minute when Kate Alexander whipped in a pinpoint cross that was finished by Faith Matter on the bounce, tying the match at 2-2. Matter’s 8th goal tied her for the team lead in goal contributions, adding to her 10 assists for 18 total involvements throughout the
season. After the goal, West Chester’s momentum began to dial down. Players appeared to tire a bit, and Franklin Pierce’s midfield unit outworked WCU, creating multiple quality scoring chances despite playing with 10 players.

Head coach Betty Ann Kempf Townsley had full confidence in hercstarting lineup, using only three substitutes throughout the match to the seven players subbed in by Franklin Pierce. With only two minutes left, West Chester defender Carley Slavin made a game-saving tackle, blocking a goal bound shot. With the match knotted at 2-2 after 90 minutes, the match advanced to golden goal overtime.

Only 40 seconds into extra time, Franklin Pierce found the winner. Maguire picked up the ball in the middle of the field again, dribbling around a defender before cutting the back line of WCU open with a through ball to Crespo who finished confidently into the bottom right corner, winning the match 3-2. Crespo’s second goal of the day was once again created by Maguire, who was brilliant throughout the match and involved in all three Pierce goals.

West Chester’s season ends in heartbreaking fashion, having possessed a player advantage for well over 45 minutes but failed to find a winner in regulation. Typically resolute defensively, Saturday’s match was only the second time all season that West Chester has conceded three times in a match. Franklin Pierce claim the region title and advance to the national semifinal on December 11th in Colorado Springs at Switchbacks FC Stadium.