CANTON, Ohio -- The Lake Erie women's soccer team battled the Pioneers of Malone University on Thursday night, coming away with a hard-fought 1-0 victory. In the 22nd minute, senior standout Leonie Witt delivered the game's lone goal, pushing the Storm to an impressive 5-1-1 record — the best start in program history.
Game Recap
It took 22 minutes for the Storm to register their first shot, but they made it count as Witt netted her 13th career goal to put Lake Erie up 1-0. She sparked an offensive surge for her side, firing two more shots in the next three minutes that forced saves from the Pioneers' keeper.
On the other end, Lake Erie's defense put in a suffocating performance, holding Malone to just two first-half opportunities — one blocked and the other off target.
The Storm came out firing after the break, attempting five shots in the first five minutes of the second half, though none found the back of the net. Malone's attack, meanwhile, never found a rhythm, managing only two shots in the period and five total for the game.
Goalkeeper Morgan Vanmeter didn't need to record a single save, marking the first time since 2016 the Storm have held an opponent without a shot on goal. Lake Erie closed with nine second-half attempts but couldn't add to the lead. It didn't matter, as their defensive dominance secured a fifth shutout in just seven games.
The Matchup
After trading 1-0 wins in each of the past two seasons, Lake Erie entered the night with a 3-8-3 all-time record against Malone. The two teams will meet again later this fall when the Pioneers travel to Painesville for a night matchup on Saturday, October 25.
Looking Ahead
The Storm return home for the first time in three games when they host Walsh on Saturday, September 27 at noon. The Cavaliers enter with a strong 3-1-2 record, led by sophomore standout Paityn Marino, who has scored five of the team's 12 goals this season. Walsh tops the conference in both shots per game (17.5) and shots on goal per game (9.17), setting up a major test for Lake Erie's defense, which has been outstanding all year.
