9/16/26
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – In the first-ever match-up of what could become a budding rivalry based on proximity, Lackawanna College women's soccer is set to host Bloomsburg University on Wednesday, September 16^th, in another match-up against a PSAC opponent for the Falcons. Kickoff is set for 3:30pm ET at Schautz Stadium in Dunmore.
 
The Falcons
Lackawanna (1-4-0) enters the week still riding high after its first win of the season, taking a 1-0 victory over Mansfield University last week at home. Kosi Nwozuzu (Queens, NY) scored the game-winner in the 73^rd minute, off a free kick on the left side from Aislyn Fitzgerald (Langhorne, PA), and the Falcons saw out the rest of the game from there, getting keeper Sophia Arvelo (Allentown, PA) her first-career clean sheet and the Falcons their first-ever win, post NJCAA. It's also the first victory for Lackawanna College over a PSAC opponent, in any sport, and the first win of the 2026 fall campaign for all Lackawanna sports. The Falcons were last in action on Saturday, September 12^th, in a road contest against Millersville. Despite getting pounded in the shot department, 33-1, the Falcons held firm and fell 2-0 to a strong Marauders squad. Arvelo posted eleven saves in the loss. You can read the full recap HERE.
 
Darexy Monroy (Pleasantville, NJ) was the only Falcon to record a shot this past Saturday.
 
Head coach Juan Almonte, hired in July 2025, cobbled together a roster and competed for ten games last season, sometimes competing with just nine student-athletes, but the Falcons program made great strides, and coach Almonte hit the recruiting trail hard to find young, talented players.
 
With only three returning players from last season, the Falcons have a lot of young, first-year players set to step into major roles in 2026. One of those young players is up front, in Fitzgerald, who coach Almonte feels can have an immediate impact on how the Falcons attack. Fitzgerald is a first-year player who starred at Neshaminy HS, making the District 1 Class 4A quarterfinals and ran hurdles for Neshaminy in her time there.
 
In the midfield, Monroy can provide immediate offensive bite, while controlling the middle of the park. Monroy had 103 goals and 45 assists in her high school career. She also played flag football in high school.
 
At the back, the Falcons rely on players like Nwozuzu to help add some strength to the defensive front. Nwozuzu is a strong, physical player that can help shore up the middle of the defense in front of Arvelo, a four-year starter in high school at Bethlehem Catholic who has great shot-stopping ability and is comfortable with the ball at her feet.
 
Through their first five games, the Falcons have given up 21 goals and scored one against their five PSAC opponents. Lackawanna has 14 shots, eleven on target, a .786 percentage, but the defense is under constant pressure, giving up 139 shots, 66 on target. The opposition has 54 corner kicks to just three for the Falcons.
 
Isabella Caligiuri (Effort, PA) has three shots on target this season, while Grace King (Calvert County, MD), MacKenzie Seifried (Winfield, NJ), and Monroy each have a pair of shots this season. Nwozuzu's goal is the lone tally for the Falcons this year, while Fitzgerald has the assist. Arvelo has 45 saves this year, posting a season-high 17 at #3 West Chester.
 
The Huskies
Bloomsburg (2-3-0) is a bounce or two away from being unbeaten, with all three losses coming by one goal, including a 90^th minute stunner from Shepherd in a 3-2 loss last Wednesday at home. The Huskies have been excellent in their pair of wins, beating Shippensburg by a 3-0 scoreline earlier this month and taking down Seton Hill, 2-0, this past Saturday on the road. In that game, the Huskies outshot the Griffins, 14-10, but only had two shots on target, which happened to be the two goals from Whitney Evancho. Bloom had nine corner kicks to just one from Seton Hill.
 
In the current PSAC standings, Bloom (1-3) is tied with East Stroudsburg in fifth of the eight teams, ahead of winless Shippensburg (0-4) and Mansfield (0-3).
 
The Huskies have seven goals to five for their opponents this year, averaging 1.4 goals per game and giving up one goal per contest. The shots are even (61-59), but the Huskies are slightly more accurate with shots on frame, hitting the target 42.6% of the time, as compared to 27.1% for their opponents.
 
Senior Olivia Thompson leads the Huskies in points (5) with two goals and one assist. Thompson has a team-high ten shots, four on target. Thompson is a four-year member of the program who blossomed into a solid starter last season. Her goal and assist came in the win against Shippensburg, and she added another goal in the 3-2 loss to Shepherd last week.
 
First-year player Whitney Evancho announced her presence last weekend with her pair of goals against Seton Hill, her first and only appearance of the year. A forward, Evancho is a much-heralded first-year player from Delaware, where she was a four-time First Team All-State selection, as well as a 2026 Conference POTY selection and a 2026 Regional All-American.
 
First-year midfielder Niamh Fanning has a goal and an assist this season on four shots, playing in five games. Fanning scored a goal and had an assist in the win against Shippensburg. She has recorded at least one shot in four of the five games this year. Fanning was a two-time Pennsylvania All-State selection out of Susquehannock HS, also earning a York-Adams DII POTY nod.
 
Sophomore keeper Izzy Hoffeditz has the most time in-between the pipes so far, starting in four games. Hoffeditz has allowed five goals, a 1.25 goals against average, and has seven saves. Her last game was the 3-2 loss to Shepherd last week. Courtney Rebar, a senior keeper from Mid Valley HS, started the last game, going the distance for the clean sheet against Seton Hill, making three saves.
 
The head coach for the Huskies is Matt Haney, entering his 12^th year at Bloom and his eleventh season with the women's squad. Haney has won 123 games in his time at Bloom, and, with last year's qualification for the national tournament, Haney has now guided the Huskies to the NCAA tournament in five of his past seven years, and the Huskies have made a PSAC playoff appearance every year since he took over, winning a pair of PSAC titles in his tenure. Haney started as an assistant with both the Bloomsburg men's and women's teams in 2014, before taking over the women's squad. Before that, he spent two years as a volunteer coach with the Bucknell men's squad. Haney also spent time as an assistant coach over two different stints a York College. Before that, Haney played soccer for both Wilkes and Bloomsburg, excelling as a goalkeeper. Haney earned his bachelor's degree from York College in elementary education, and he earned a Master's degree from Saint Francis University in 2009.
 
Bloomsburg was picked to finish third in the PSAC East in the preseason, based on their NCAA Tournament appearance last year and the returning pieces from last year's tournament team. The Huskies received one first place vote, denying West Chester a unanimous pre-season #1 pick.
 
Game Details
Bloomsburg University (2-3-0) at Lackawanna College (1-4-0)
Wednesday 9/16, 3:30pm ET; Schautz Stadium (1220 Prescott Avenue, Dunmore, PA 18512)
 
Live Video: Lackawanna College Athletics Network
Live Stats: Lackawanna Live Stats
Tickets: Lackawanna Tickets
 
Tickets can be purchased in advance at the above link, or on-site at the gates at Schautz Stadium, but fans are reminded that tickets can only be purchased electronically. No cash will be accepted.
 
This will be the first of two games between the Falcons and the Huskies this season. There are multiple common opponents between the two sides: Shippensburg (Bloomsburg 3-0 W, Lackawanna 6-0 L), West Chester (Bloomsburg 1-0 L, Lackawanna 6-0 L) and Millersville (Bloomsburg 1-0 L, Lackawanna 2-0 L).
 
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Next up, Lackawanna College is back on the road in PSAC action on Saturday, September 19^th, with an away contest against Shepherd University. Kickoff is set for 1:00pm ET at the Shepherd Soccer Complex in Shepherdstown, WV.