HOBOKEN, N.J. (October 28, 2017) – Julia Panko scored three times and hit iron twice more as the sophomore made sure the No. 15 Stevens Institute of Technology women's soccer team downed Houghton College 3-0 to earn a share of the Empire 8 regular season title on Saturday. The Ducks end the regular season in a three-way tie for first place with Hartwick College and Nazareth College but come out third in the league's tiebreaking formula.
 

• Panko nearly had a first-half hat-trick; early in the game her first shot ricocheted off the post for what would have been the game's first goal
• Instead, a few minutes later she hit the post again, but this time on the inside half of the pole so that the ball slid into the cage. Gabby Pagkalinawan earned the assist after her slick pass
• Six minutes later, Panko was taken down in the box and went on to convert the penalty kick, doubling the Duck lead
• Stevens was dominant, earning a 19-2 shot margin in the first half and 15-1 in the second.
• In the second period, Panko took another Pagkalinawan pass from the goal line to the top of the box. The sophomore left-footed the ball into the far corner for her this goal of the game
• The two assists for Pagkalinawan were the first two of the year for the senior
• Panko also hit the crossbar in the second half and was inches away from a five-goal game
• Lindsey Mahnken was asked to make just one save to earn her ninth shutout of the year
• The final shot count was a dominant 34-3. The Ducks also took all six of the game's corner kicks

 
The Ducks will head to the Empire 8 Tournament next weekend at Hartwick College looking to avenge their only Empire 8 against to Nazareth College. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday, November 3. The winners will meet for the title at 6 p.m. the next day.
 
Facebook: "Like" Stevens Athletics
Twitter: @stevensducks
Instagram: @stevensducks
Snapchat: ducks_athletics
#AllRise