Defense Rules the Day as Spartans Tie Again

by Scott Guise

September 5, 2012

ELIZABETHTOWN, PA – The York College women's soccer team continued their outstanding early season defensive play as the Spartans earned a 0-0 double overtime tie with host Elizabethtown College on a humid Wednesday night in Elizabethtown. The Spartans have not surrendered a goal so far in 2012, a span covering 310 minutes of play.

While the Spartan defense has been sterling, the Green and White offensive unit is still looking to get untracked. York hasn't scored a goal in 254:45, a span of just under two and a half games.

The game was a story of close misses and missed opportunities. Both teams had their chances but neither team converted any of those chances.

The Blue Jays finished with an 18-7 bulge in shots but closer inspection of the numbers suggest it wasn't as one-sided as it may have appeared. The shots on goal lowered the margin to 4-3 in favor of the host Blue Jays.

The Blue Jays did have a pair of quality chances in the later stages of the game. Senior Laura Wingert had a dangerous shot in the 84^th minute that slid just wide of the left post. Late in overtime, freshman Lauren Fredericks' shot was cleared off the line by Spartan junior defender Dale Mason (Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy).

Sophomore Melanie Glessner (Waldorf, Md./Thomas Stone) earned her third shutout of the year as she made four saves in recording the clean sheet. Elizabethtown counterpart Jess Manchak recorded her shutout with three saves in her 110 minutes of work.

Senior Caitlin Aversa (Severna Park, Md./Archbishop Spalding) paced the Spartan offense with three shots including two on target.

The Blue Jays finished the game with a 5-4 margin in corner kicks including two in the second overtime period.

The Spartans return to action on Saturday when they travel to Albright to face the Lions in a 12:00 pm contest.