Franciscan 4, Grove City 1

Franciscan Starters 
Claire Salyer, Tania Davidson, Teaghan Elmore, Anni Winogradoff, Juliana Rubino, Gabriella De La Torre, Angela Postage, Abigail Parker, Bella Rubino, Theresa Ryan, & Goalkeeper - Rebekka Dill 

Grove City Starters
Mathes, D'Amato, Jenkins, Weinert, Lagerquist, Grose, Pavelek, Sullivan, Keller, White & Goalkeeper - Lisman

How It Happened 
     One down, one to go. The Barons soundly defeated the Grove City Wolverines 4-1. With the win, Franciscan will play in the PAC championship on Saturday, November 5. Coming into the playoffs, the team delivered a strong performance similar to those we've seen all season long.

    It was a cloudy afternoon, and the crowd was tense with energy. Both teams knew what was at stake. Win, and fight for the championship, or lose, and go home. The Wolverines came out of the gate swinging. Just four minutes into the game, and Grove City scored a quick goal. The Barons looked like they got the wind knocked out of them. As they were trying to recover, the Wolverines continued to put pressure on the defense. The Barons fended off the attack, clearing the ball numerous times just to get some breathing room. 10 minutes in, midfielder Bella Rubino, who was recently named PAC Offensive Player of the Week, broke free of the Wolverine's defense only to get her shot blocked by the goalkeeper. The Barons were still down 0-1. The next 20 minutes were a constant back and forth. It was an offensive battle, with both sides playing physical, leading to a lot of fouls. The Barons were unable to score on their numerous free kicks. Tania Davidson, Bella Rubino, and Mary Wieszczek all had shot attempts to no avail. Despite the offensive troubles, the defense was excellent, holding the Wolverines to just 12 shot attempts compared to the Baron's 21. 33 minutes in, goalkeeper Rebekka Dill saved numerous scary corner kick situations. She finished the game with four saves total. Finally, 41 minutes in the first half, star forward Tania Davidson hit a long-distance goal with an assist from Juliana Rubino. The Barons breathed a sigh of relief as the score was tied 1-1 at the half.

    In the second half, the Barons were a completely different animal. They ramped up the offensive pressure, and the Wolverines didn't know how to respond. Midfielder Claire Salyer's shot was blocked by the goalkeeper, only for Tania Davidson to swoop in and find the net. Just two minutes in the second half, and the Barons already led 2-1. Four minutes later, Bella Rubino tipped in another blocked shot. The lead swelled to 3-1. The Wolverines were now backed into a corner, and they couldn't fight their way out. 80 minutes in, Anni Windograff scored the last goal of the game with an assist from Bella Rubino. The Barons emerged victorious 4-1.

    This high-stakes matchup showcased the Baron's strong perseverance. Despite trailing early on, the team never gave up and turned things around in the second half. Their offense was unrelenting, scoring numerous goals despite the goalkeeper blocking their shots. The Barons will look to continue their strong play into the PAC championship on Saturday, November 5.

Inside the Numbers  
-Tania Davidson's two goals currently ties her for 10th in the nation in goals scored this season with 20 thus far.
-Angela Postage added 1 assist to bring her season total to 11, currently good for 7th in the nation
-Anni Winnogradoff scored her 4th goal of her career
-Franciscan out shot their opponents 21-12

Who's Next? - 
Franciscan will travel to #1 Westminster this Saturday at for the PAC Championship. This the Barons first trip to the PAC Championship in school history. They made the AMCC Championship in 2017, but fell by one goal to Penn State Behrend. The winner of the Championship will earn the PAC's automatic qualifier into the NCAA National Championship Tournament. In the regular season, Franciscan got the better of Westminster by a score of 2-0 in New Wilmington, as the Barons head there for the second time this season. Tania Davidson scored both goals, as Bri DeChristopher recorded 13 saves in the shutout.

Stay Connected 
Be sure to follow Franciscan Athletics on Youtube, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for the most in-depth coverage.