Franklin & Marshall College

LANCASTER, Pa.- Emerson McDonald's half-volley goal from an Amanda Nemeth ball over-the-top guided the Franklin & Marshall women's soccer team (3-1-1) to a 1-0 victory over Arcadia (1-2-2) on Wednesday night.

F&M dominated the chance creation, outshooting Arcadia 20-2 on shots and 8-2 on shots on goal. Lucy Fleming made two stops to earn her third shutout of 2026. McDonald totaled a team-best seven shots and five shots on goal. 

Chances on goal were rare in the early stages of the first half, with the best early shot coming on a Grace Craig cross into Ashley Inacio who missed right as the keeper closed her angle from six yards away in the 21st minute. 

F&M's next-best chance came on McDonald's goal in the 36th minute. Nemeth was first to a loose ball around the top of the half circle, and she played a ball over the top to McDonald to strike it past the goal keeper on the half volley from 12 yards away. The Knights' best chance of the night came just prior to the goal, as a shot from six yards away from a long-range set piece was scuffed to directly Fleming for a routine stop.

Nemeth had a decent chance to double the lead with six minutes left in the half when her shot to the top-right corner from just inside the box was denied by the Arcadia keeper. In total, F&M maintained an 11-1 shot advantage through the first 45. 

F&M continued to control the flow in the second half, maintaining a 9-1 shot advantage while denying any clear-cut opportunities on the goal. The Diplomats' best chance of the half came when Craig again found Finnerty with a cross, this time unmarked at the keeper's near post, but her header missed wide. McDonald had a near-post strike from ten yards away denied with five minutes left. 

The Diplomats begin Centennial Conference action at Muhlenberg on Saturday, September 19, at 4:00 p.m.