PHILADELPHIA - The Saint Joseph's women's soccer team gave its senior class a memorable final game at Sweeney Field as the Hawks scored late and got key saves in the final seconds to down Duquesne, 1-0, Sunday afternoon.
Making a game-high five saves, SJU junior goalkeeper Allison Ebling earned her 10th win of the season, matching the single-season record set by Colleen Corcoran in 1998.
Playing to a near standstill over the first 80 minutes, Saint Joseph's tallied the game's lone goal as sophomore Emily Gingrich recorded her 13th tally of the season. With the ball played into the Duquesne box, junior Olivia McEachern collected the ball and dropped a pass behind her to Gingrich. Following the ball, Gingrich struck the ball in stride, only to have it deflect off the foot of a Duquesne defender and catch the goalkeeper moving the wrong way as the ball bounced into the right side of the net at 84:50 to make it 1-0.
The Dukes (5-7-3, 2-2-1 Atlantic 10) had one last chance to tie it in the final seconds, but SJU junior goalkeeper came up big. Duquesne's Linnea Faccenda got behind the defenders and one-on-one with Ebling, but the Hawks' keeper challenged the shot and made a diving save, while the defense followed the ball and deflected a last-chance shot by Danya Fenech out of play as the horn sounded.
With the win, Saint Joseph's moves to 10-7-0 overall and 3-3-0 in the Atlantic 10.
Individually, Gingrich moved into second place for most goals in a single season, one behind Ali Wean's mark of 14 set in 2006. Gingrich finished with three shots, while senior Jill Root had a team-high four shots.
Duquesne finished with a 12-10 edge in shots, while the Hawks had four corners to the Dukes' two.
Saint Joseph's returns to action on Friday at Fordham at 7 p.m.
Game Notes: The Hawks honored its senior class - Root, Emily Irons, Katie Beattie, McHale Perkins and Kelsey Marchesano - in a pregame ceremony.