GLENSIDE, PA:  (Oct. 13, 2010) - First year Sara Volk-Perez (Mays Landing, NJ/Oakcrest) and senior Katie O'Malley (Coatesville, Pa/Coatesville Area) scored goals for #5 Arcadia University in the Knights 2-0 defeat of #3 Widener University in Commonwealth Conference women's soccer action.  The loss is the Pride's first within the league, enabling Arcadia to pass the Widener in the standings.  The win is huge for the Knights to get back on track after the heartbreaking 3-1 loss to national powerhouse, Messiah, over the weekend.  Arcadia enhances their record to 10-3-1 overall and 2-1 within the Commonwealth.  Widener drops to 10-2-1 overall and 1-1-1 in conference play.  Earlier this week the Knights regained their #5 slot in the NSCAA Mid-Atlantic rankings after dropping off two spots to #7 last week.   The Pride are currently ranked #3 in the region. 

Today's play was physical on both sides as the officials were allowing both teams to battle for possession.  For the first thirty minutes, the tempo was back and forth.  No team could gain an advantage until Stephanie Edson (Milton, Pa/Milton) sent a shot to the net, which was saved by Pride keeper Vanessa Hejnas.  As the shot went off of Hejnas' hands, Volk-Perez attacked the front of net, sliding feet first for the ball and forcing it into the back of the net in the 30th minute of play.  The goal, which was the second of the season for Volk-Perez, was also the game-changer. 

Shortly after O'Malley decided to add a goal of her own.  On a corner kick seconds before the end of the half, the senior sent a great ball to the net that was deflected by a Pride defender into the goal to give Arcadia a 2-0 lead.  With only 7 seconds remaining in the half, the goal was a back-breaker for the Pride who would attempt a comeback in the second half.

The second half seemed somewhat eventless as the Knights defense did not allow Widener to mount any sort of come back.  Sophomore keeper, Jackie Law (Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains Fanwood) pitched another scoreless outing, putting her at 5 shut-outs on the season.  The win was her 9th of the year as she improves to 9-3-1 overall.  She made 5 saves in today's win.  Hejnas would finish with 5 saves as well for Widener.  Hejnas' replacement, Valarie Perretti, entered the game in the 76th minute, giving up no goals while saving 1.  The Knights owned the advantage in both shots (11-8) and corner chances (2-0).

Arcadia returns to action this weekend, visiting Elizabethtown College at 2 PM in Elizabethtown, Pa.  The game will be a rematch of last season's Commonwealth semi-final game that saw Arcadia win 3-0.  The game is the first of a women and men's doubleheader.  Arcadia's men will follow at 4:30 PM.