Box Score PRESCOTT, ARIZ. – In sports, one play can change the entire direction of a game. This was seen on Sunday for the Embry-Riddle women's soccer team, as one big save sparked a 2-0 victory.
Leading 1-0 in the 16th minute, ERAU sophomore goalkeeper Annabelle Ruckle made an excellent save on a penalty kick to keep the game tied at zero. Ruckle dove to her right, and leaped to punch the ball away, keeping the Eagles now-four-game shutout streak alive.
"I had a talk with [ERAU head coach] Todd [Poitras], and we discussed previous situations like that from College of Idaho," Ruckle said. "I read her body language and knew she was going to go right. I am glad I got there, saved it, and thanks to the defense for getting the ball out of the box in time."
The first Eagles goal came less than five minutes in, as Kylee Bennett scored her first of the season to give ERAU the 1-0 lead. Bennett would then pick up the secondary assist in the team's second goal in the 85th minute, ERAU put together a solid attack that was finished Adelie Zechmann for her first career goal.
Both teams took seven shots in each half, finishing the match with 14 apiece. The Yotes had six shots on goal on Sunday, all of them stopped by Ruckle, who extended the Eagles shutout streak to 387:36.
Embry-Riddle will begin Cal Pac play at home this upcoming week, hosting a pair of Northern California schools. The Eagles will host Pacific Union College on Friday, September 16, with kickoff from Varsity Field scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
