Haleigh Finale scores OT winner, gives RMU senior-day victory

Haleigh+Finale+scored+the+overtime+winner+in+RMUs+season-ending+victory.+Photo+credit%3A+Samantha+Dutch

Haleigh Finale scored the overtime winner in RMU’s season-ending victory. Photo credit: Samantha Dutch

Owen Krepps

MOON TOWNSHIP– Robert Morris women’s soccer (6-10-3, 2-6-2 Horizon) closed out their 2021 season Wednesday afternoon with a 1-0 overtime victory over the Youngstown State Penguins (2-11-5, 2-5-4). Haleigh Finale scored the game-winning goal in the first half of the overtime frame.

“It feels amazing, we have been working so hard to get that result it is just awesome,” Finale said on ending the season on a high note.

With this being the last home game of the regular season and the Colonials being mathematically eliminated from the Horizon League playoffs, the team honored their four seniors before the game. These seniors are Courtney Hurey, Devan Noll, Jordan Rosengrant, and Allie Ball.

The majority of the game was controlled by the Colonials as they generated consistent offense and put up twelve shots on goal in total. RMU also had a total of thirteen corner kicks in the game.

In the limited chances that the Penguins got on RMU goaltender Courtney Worstell, they were stopped. This included a great save from defender Angela Van Damia on Ashley Dibble.

Physicality also played a major part in Wednesday’s game. A total of 22 penalties were called on the game with 15 of them coming from YSU as well as a yellow card on Marcella Sizer. Finale noted the chippiness of the game.

“You can tell when refs are calling more so sometimes you give a little fall. I like when they take out the whistles because soccer is an intense game and it is good when people are getting after it.”

RMU finished the season with two wins in the Horizon League which doubles their win total from last season. Slowly but surely, the rebuilding Colonials will build towards a more competitive roster.

“I think ending the season on a win is good. Going into next season we are feeling good as we did better than last year,” Finale said. “We will just keep getting better and better each year.”

On the flip side of things, RMU men’s soccer, who remain in a playoff hunt, will face off against Green Bay Friday at home with kickoff set for noon.