Senior forward Jurnee Durrett-Finney scored her first goal of the season, and freshman forward Rebecca Pihlgren added her league-leading fifth as Point Park defeated Frostburg State, 2-1, on Saturday afternoon in a homecoming matchup at Highmark Stadium.
The win improved Point Park’s record to 4-2-1 overall and 3-1 in Mountain East Conference play. With the win, Point Park sits tied for first in the MEC North Division. Frostburg State dropped to 3-3-1 and 1-2-1 in the league.
Durrett-Finney put the Pioneers on the board in the 37th minute, finishing off a pass from Anne Barbosa to give Point Park the early lead. For the senior, the breakthrough was a major moment in her season.
“I knew I just had to get a touch on it,” Durrett-Finney said. “My first touch got a little ahead of me, but I knew I could just like toe poke it in, and I was able to, and I was really excited.”
Durrett-Finney said the win carried added meaning for the entire team, especially considering the team’s growth since last year.
“I know what our team is capable of now from last year; this year is a big, huge improvement,” Durrett-Finney said, “Which is a different environment. I’m so proud of our girls. I’m proud of us. We have a great mentality now, so I’m looking forward to seeing what the rest of the season holds.”
Point Park extended its advantage early in the second half. In the 56th minute, Pihlgren scored off a feed from Paula Sole, who is now tied for the conference lead in assists with four.
“It was a good play from the whole team, and I got Paula [Sole] the ball, and then I thought she was gonna score. But it was a great ball from Paula back to me, and it felt great to score the second goal of the game,” Pihlgren said in her postgame interview on MEC Digital Network.
For Pihlgren, who has been one of the conference’s most consistent scorers this season, the goal was a continuation of her hot start. She now leads the MEC with five goals on the year. The freshman forward said the belief and responsibility she’s been given have fueled her success this season.
“We’re going to continue working as a team to win more games,” Pihlgren said. “It feels really good to get the responsibility … and just the support from the whole team is crazy, and it feels really good.”
Frostburg State cut the deficit in half in the 75th minute on a goal from Carly Gillette, assisted by Elena Fernandez. Despite late pressure from the Bobcats, goalkeeper Frederieke Rijlaarsdam anchored the defense with eight saves to preserve the win.
Statistically, Frostburg State held the edge, outshooting Point Park 28-16 overall and 10-5 in shots on goal.
The Bobcats also finished with a 7-5 advantage in corner kicks. But the Pioneers capitalized on their best chances and defended well enough in the final minutes to hold on.
Durrett-Finney said the team expects to carry its momentum into the next matchup against Davis & Elkins on Wednesday.
“Again, high energy,” Durrett-Finney said. “We have some of the best forwards in the MEC. We have Rebecca [Pihlgren], we have Paula Sole, we have Anna Barbosa, we have Martina Cardemil, we have so many good forwards up there. We’re looking for some goals, then, to get another three points.”
Point Park will travel to Elkins, W. Va., to face Davis & Elkins on Wednesday, Oct. 1, at 7 p.m.
