Women’s First Team Caps Off the 2-game Week with 1-0 Awards Day Victory

By Zander Plizga

Photo Cred: Rocco Donnelly

Cheswick, PA – The Women’s First team got back in the win column and improved to 2-3-0 on the season after picking up a 1-0 victory over FC Buffalo Saturday evening at Founders Field. Steel City dominated the play throughout in front of a crowd of over 1,000 fans.

Despite one goal being scored, there were plenty of chances and exciting moments throughout the match. Abigail Stager (Maryland ’28) tallied the lone goal of the contest off a penalty in the 35th minute.

Goalkeeper Ruby Morgan (Eastern Kentucky University ’28) posted her second clean sheet of the season (both against Buffalo), and a backline led by Emily Graeca (JMU ’28) and Coco Dorfman (’28) made sure that Morgan saw limited action. In the back half, they remained poised on the ball, often driving to commit Buffalo’s press, and made line-breaking passes to help SCFC build its attack.

Showing up on the Big Stage(r)

Stager had her fingerprints all over this game. She was all over the field, back pressing, taking on defenders, and scoring the goal that separated the two teams. En route to her goal, Stager picked the ball up on the right wing before decisively beating a defender into the box, where she was brought down, earning SCFC a penalty. Stager wasn’t done, though; she stepped up and slotted the pen down the middle as the keeper dove to her right.

Photo Cred: Jared Todhunter

Maya Matesa (Duquesne ’26) also had a productive game, putting pressure on Buffalo’s backline by finding dangerous passes, holding up play, and pressing hard. She had a handful of both wide passes after dropping in under Buffalo’s backline, as well as some dangerous crosses that had Buffalo’s keeper scrambling to corral.

The opposing keeper really kept Buffalo in this match, coming up with some outstanding diving saves late in the first and second half that easily could have put the game away. Her shop-stopping ability helped propel Buffalo to a late-game push, which saw Steel City defending multiple corners and deep crosses. In the end, the SCFC defense prevailed, keeping the clean sheet and ending the week with a big win.

Earlier this week

Erie, PA – Steel City FC came up on the wrong side of a tough battle with Erie Sports Center earlier in the week, with a 2-1 defeat. Steel City had the better of the play, controlling the match early by creating chances, building out of the back, and having two goals called back for offside.

The Women scored a fantastic team goal to tie the game early in the second half. A deep cross from Samantha Miller (Kent State ’27) found Kelsey Salopek (Kent State ’26) along the edge of the six, who then cut it back past the opposing goalkeeper to Stager, who tapped it home, for a beautifully worked team goal.

Despite the great goal and the overall better run of play, SCFC struggled to maintain it and had a few blunders that led to Erie scoring some scrappy goals.

Steel City FC returns to action on Tuesday, June 9, when they take on Cleveland Force at Founders Field. Kickoff is set to start at 6 p.m., with tickets available for purchase HERE, and the full game broadcast will be available on SportsEngine.