Clarion sophomore and defender Stephanie Harrison dodges a fallen Kutztown offender while trying to get to the ball. (Carly Masiroff / The Clarion Call)

Saturday the Clarion Women’s Soccer Team hosted Kutztown who hoped to stay on its unbeaten strike.

Kutztown has gone 500 minutes without any scores and was hoping to keep their record this way.

Clarion made them settle for a tie Saturday at Memorial Stadium, but still kept their successful streak going with Clarion being their fifth consecutive shutout.

Without head coach, Christina Feldman, Clarion is trying to stay on top of its game.

“We were all devastated to learn that Coach Feldman was leaving. She was a great coach and mentor to all of us. It’s been an adjustment,” said Crystal Miller.

The players are still adjusting to Coach John Arlet, who is a graduate assistant, but are trying not to let that affect play. The team is adjusting to the new coach.

Beth Ellen Dibeler said, “It was very difficult at first about the news of coach leaving us and I know some of us were frustrated that she wasn’t staying the whole season, but Coach Jon has stepped up and has been doing a good job. He was doing a lot of the coaching before Coach Nina (Feldman) left in order to prepare us for him being our coach.”
Clarion also played without three girls this past weekend.

Dibeler said, “Everyone who stepped in and got time to play really did a great job.”

The first half brought goalkeeper, Jenna Kulik five saves and she added one more in the second.

“I definitely think that a few of Jenna’s saves kept us in the game and were big plays. She has been playing really well lately and has given us the chance to be able to compete with all the good teams,” said Dibeler.

Kulik was credited with another shutout, making that her fifth for the season.

The game was full of fouls and corner kicks. The first half alone brought a total of five fouls (two for Kutztown and three for Clarion) and four corner kicks (two each).

The second half added four more fouls and two more corner kicks for Clarion. Kutztown received three more fouls and also two more corner kicks.The game remained scoreless and went into two overtimes.

The first overtime brought Kutztown three more corner kicks and two more fouls for each team. The second overtime just brought soccer play. Neither team could find the net during the overtimes leaving the game a tie.

The opportunities were definitely there to score, but neither team could get the ball in the net when they had the shots.

“Overall I think we played a pretty good game. Jenna was amazing for us. We could have finished a little better, but they could have as well. We definitely had more heart and wanted it so bad. sometimes we just don’t get the results we deserve,” said Erin White.

The rest of the game, neither Clarion nor Kutztown could get the ball set up in the right position to make shots.

Despite the loss of players Lindsay Thill and Alaina Tintera, Jordan Dloisio felt the team played well.

“I think we played well as a team Saturday, especially since we were missing two starters,” Daloisio said.

Dibeler brought Clarion the only shot of the afternoon, but Kutztown’s goalkeeper, Alyssa Hackelberg kept it out of the net.

According to Dibeler, the opportunity to make more shots would have helped the team.

“Finishing the ball and getting shots on goal. If we could just get more shots on the net and more chances offensively, I definitely think that would have made a difference,” Dibeler said.

Clarion now has a record of 4-9-2 and 0-9-1 PSAC-West.
Saturday the women will take on Slippery Rock for the second time around, hoping­ to defeat them at Memorial Stadium.