Box Score LANCASTER, Pa. – Franklin & Marshall was unable to come back from a two goal deficit as Elizabethtown dropped the Diplomats 2-0 in non-conference women's soccer action on Wednesday night. F&M's record now sits at 1-4, while the Blue Jays remain perfect at 3-0.
Elizabethtown's Maddie Burkhardt got the Blue Jays on the board four minutes into the contest when Kara Weller threw the ball in from the sideline to a scramble right in front of F&M goalie Shannon Johnson-Finn. Burkhardt eluded the defense and knocked the ball in to give Elizabethtown an early 1-0 advantage.
Burkhardt struck again in the first (23rd minute), when another scramble led to a ball in the middle that Burkhardt kicked past Johnson-Finn to increase the lead to 2-0 as the Blue Jays led by two goals going into halftime.
For much of the second half, both squads played good defense as the scoring chances were limited. However, with just over 18 minutes left in the game, F&M's Megan Rubenstein made a one-touch pass to Spencer Plante about 15 yards from Elizabethtown goalie Dana Robidoux, but Plante ripped it just wide of the cage as the score remained 2-0.
In the last eight minutes of the game, the Diplomats were able picked up the pressure on the Blue Jays, but Elizabethtown's feisty defense only allowed three shots all night en route to the 2-0 final score.
Brianna Reid, Kate Kerr and Plante recorded a shot for F&M, while Johnson-Finn (0-2) made seven saves, including six in the second half, but took the loss.
Robidoux did not face a shot on goal as she improved to 3-0.
The Diplomats return to action next Wednesday when F&M takes on No. 12 Misericordia at Tylus Field at 7:00 p.m.
