Barber Leads No. 21 Women's Soccer Past No. 18 Bloomsburg, 1-0
WEST CHESTER, Pa.- Kianna Barber (Browns Mills, N.J./BCIT) scored her team-leading seventh goal of the year in the 69th minute and this proved to be the eventual game-winner as the 21ST ranked West Chester University women's soccer team (10-1-3, 8-1-3) defeated No. 18 Bloomsburg (9-3-2, 6-3-2) by a 1-0 final on Saturday for its win and fifth shutout in as many games.
West Chester dominated possession throughout the first half, ending the first 45 minutes with a 14-0 lead in shots, a 4-0 lead in shots on goal, and an 8-0 advantage in corners.
Perhaps the best chance of the half for West Chester came late in the proceedings when Victoria Pungello (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial) took a shot from the top of the box, but Merklin punched it just over the bar to keep the match scoreless early.
In the 65th minute, Faith Matter (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) had a chance from point-blank range, but Samantha Merklin made her seventh and perhaps best stop of the day to that point to keep the game scoreless.
In the 69th minute, Kianna Barber (Browns Mills, N.J./BCIT) broke the scoreless tie with a curling shot from outside the box off a well-placed pass from just inside midfield from freshman Katie Dougherty (Glenmoore, Pa./Downingtown West).
Kianna Barber! The sophomore gives West Chester a 1-0 lead midway through the second half with this shot from distance! pic.twitter.com/TlzQUr1gxf
— West Chester Golden Rams (@WCUAthletics) October 25, 2025
Bloomsburg had its best opportunity of the match in the 80th minute when Caydence Feehan got loose in the box and was carrying it in alone on Grace Keen (Lincoln University, Pa./Avon Grove) before Carley Slavin (Abington, Pa./Abington) stepped in front and broke up the chance.
Bloomsburg continued to press in the final 10 minutes of the match, but the Golden Ram defense, led by Keen and her three second-half saves, was up to the task of quieting the explosive Husky offense.
West Chester picked up its fifth win and fifth shutout in a row as the Golden Rams stretched their unbeaten streak to 10 in a row, posting shutouts in eight of those 10 games. The lone exceptions were 1-1 draws against Bloomsburg and Shepherd.
West Chester dominated the game throughout the afternoon, finishing with a 22-4 lead in shots and an 11-3 lead in shots on goal, along with an 11-0 lead in corners.
Merklin, who ranked second in the league in most categories behind Keen entering the day, was as advertised, making 10 saves, including six in the second half, to keep her side in the match throughout the afternoon.
Up Next
West Chester will be back in action on Wednesday afternoon at Shepherd beginning at 1 p.m.
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