CALIFORNIA, Pennsylvania -- The Lake Erie women's soccer team made the three-hour trip to face the Vulcans on Sunday afternoon and came away with a hard-fought 1-0 victory.

The win moves the Storm to 2-0 on the season — their best start since 2019. Next up, Lake Erie returns home to host IUP on Wednesday, September 10, under the lights in Painesville.

Game Recap

California opened the match with the first two shots on goal, but chances were scarce for both sides in a physical first half. Lake Erie managed just three shots, while the teams combined for 12 fouls, making offense tough to come by.

The second half brought more action as both squads began breaking through the defense and generating opportunities. After just five total shots in the first 45 minutes, four were fired in the first 10 minutes of the second. In the 62nd minute, Eastern Michigan transfer Arielle Fink broke the deadlock, putting the Storm ahead 1-0 with what proved to be deciding kick. 

California pressed hard down the stretch, recording five corner kicks and five shots, but the Storm defense held firm. For the second straight game to open the season, Lake Erie kept their opponent scoreless — something the program has only achieved once in the past five years. While the defense collectively deserves a ton of credit, shout-out to goalkeeper Morgan Vanmeter for seven saves during this stretch.

The Matchup

This is just the second meeting between the two programs. Last year, Lake Erie earned a 3-1 win behind two goals from Leonie Witt and another from Alyvia Sanom. With Sunday's 1-0 result, the Storm now lead the all-time series 2-0.

Looking Ahead

Lake Erie will look to stay unbeaten on their new home field with two straight matches in Painesville. First up is IUP on Wednesday, September 10, at 7 p.m. The Storm then get an eight-day break before opening G-MAC play against Kentucky Wesleyan on Thursday, September 18, at 4 p.m.