St. FX takes over in second half, shutout Panthers 5-0

By Thomas Becker

St. FX X-Women Caitlin Crichton (Ottawa, ON) and Emma Steen (Stittsville, ON) scored two goals each as they overpowered the UPEI Panthers 5-0. 

Crichton also added two assists as she controlled the game from start to finish. 

"Honestly, it's just great to walk away with another three points," said the Subway Player of the Game. "It's our first six-point weekend of the season and it's awesome to show the rookies what it's like to get back on that winning streak we had last season." 

Despite St. FX's convincing result, it was the Panthers (0-3-1) who had the first scoring chance. A few minutes into the game, Patrycia Kozak (Mississauga, ON) created some space in the box and fired a shot with her left foot, but goalkeeper Christina Gentile (Laval, QC) made a diving stop to keep it scoreless.

Late in the half, the X-Women (3-1-0) broke the deadlock on a beautifully executed corner kick, as Amanda Smith (Stittsville, ON) curled it in the box to Crichton who rose up and headed it in the top right corner.

The X-Women carried that momentum in the second half and simply took over the game.  In the 50th minute, Crichton split the defence with a long pass to Emma Steen, who fired a low shot past Veronica Kozak (Mississauga, ON) to make it 2-0.

About a minute later, Lauren Seamone (New Germany, NS) chipped a pass in the box where Abby Steen (Stittsville, ON) volleyed it in for the 3-0 advantage. 

In the 59th minute St. FX's Jenna Burrows (New Glasgow, NS) sent a through ball by the defence to Crichton who beat the keeper on a tough shot from a difficult angle. 

Ten minutes after that, Crichton beat the defence with another precise pass that found Emma Steen who put away the team's fifth and final goal of the afternoon.

"We were able to go back inside and recognize that we needed more from ourselves," Crichton said of the halftime reset. "As a team we came back out, looked at each other and promised that everyone would bring more energy. It came from the bench, it came from the field, and it came from the goals we scored."

The Panthers look for their first win next Sunday when they travel to Halifax to take on the Dalhousie Tigers, while St. FX returns home for a Saturday afternoon match against the Université de Moncton Aigles Bleues.

Photo Credit: Janessa Hogan