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Shepherd women’s soccer back in national spotlight after record-setting 2024 season

By Bob Madison - For the Chronicle | Jul 11, 2025

Wilt

SHEPHERDSTOWN — The 2024 Shepherd University women’s soccer season ended in the gnawing cold of an early December day in New Hampshire, when the trailblazing Rams fell, 2-1, to homestanding Franklin Pierce University in the NCAA Division national quarterfinals.

The high-flying Rams had passed mileposts along the way to New Hampshire when they won the PSAC championship, the PSAC tournament and the Atlantic Regional.

The PSAC had been tamed by Shepherd’s 13-1-2 conference record. After its regular season success, the Rams topped Bloomsburg, Slippery Rock and Kutztown in the conference tournament. All three of those nail-biting wins came by one goal.

Taking its one-loss record into the Atlantic Regional, which it hosted, Shepherd defeated West Virginia State by a 2-1 score and then stopped Gannon, 1-0, in the championship game.

When Gannon had fallen in the Atlantic Region finals, Shepherd was one of only eight teams left standing.

Beezel

The lone senior on that team was Delaney Bittner.

Receiving the most post-season honors on various all-conference teams, all-Regional teams and from other national organizations were Josie Beezel, Lydia Gable, goalkeeper Hannah Wilt and Reagan Ackermann.

Freshman Wilt had been a linchpin in the 11 shutouts the Rams posted. Beezel had five goals and six assists for the season. Ackermann showed five goals and eight assists in her sophomore season.

Sarah Peternel had the most Shepherd goals in 2024 with her 10. She also was credited with four assists. Annabelle Wunderlich scored eight goals and had seven assists in her productive campaign.

Adrianna Morales scored two goals and had three assists. Taylor Schuck scored four goals and Anaya Lozano scored two goals.

Bittner

Madison Herb started 22 games and Sofia Carrera started 21 games. Erika Moore had 18 starts in the eye-opening season.

All the above named players are returning for the 2025 season, giving the Rams the conference favorite’s mantle in many corners.

Shepherd opens defense of its several championships at the end of the first week in September.

December seems to be a long way off in the cold, especially in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic regions. But if wearing toboggins, gloves and cloth coverings for their ears are necessary to reach another national quarterfinals (and beyond) the now-experienced Shepherd players would endure the chill.

Gable