Women’s Soccer Ties W&J 2-2 in Home Opener
ALTOONA, Pa. – The Penn State Altoona women's soccer team got one goal early in the game, then another in the closing minutes, as the Lions played to a 2-2 draw in their Spring Run Stadium home opener on Wednesday night against non-conference opponent Washington & Jefferson College.
Schenley Farrell (Philipsburg, PA/Philipsburg-Osceola) scored her first collegiate goal for Penn State Altoona (0-2-2) and also added an assist, and Mallorie Smith (Bellefonte, PA/Bellefonte) tallied the late game-tying goal. Dee Dee Abbott (Waldwick, NJ/Waldwick) notched one assist for her first collegiate point.
Adeline Baustert (Apollo, PA/Apollo-Ridge) made her fourth start of the season at goalkeeper and recorded one save, registering her second tie of the year.
Abbott and Farrell teamed up for Penn State Altoona's first goal of the game. Abbott's corner kick connected with Farrell in front of the goal, and Farrell sent a strong header shot past the keeper at 12:39 to put the Lions on the board.
W&J (0-0-3) capitalized on a corner kick situation of its own just under 12 minutes later, when Kayla Daugherty's corner found Olivia Olsen, who headed the ball into the left side of the goal to knot the score at 1-1 at the 23:36 mark.
Daugherty was involved in the game's next score, this time finding the back of the net herself to put the Presidents into the lead early in the second half. Daugherty took the ball just past midfield and dribbled deep into the Lions' end, unleashing a shot from just inside the box that went into the top part of the goal at 53:24 to put W&J in front, 2-1.
But Penn State Altoona came up with the tying goal at 87:45. After taking a pass from Farrell, Smith fired a long shot toward the right side of the goal. The ball found its way through the keeper's hands, and Smith netted her first tally of the season to even the score at 2-2.
The goal helped Penn State Altoona avoid the loss, as the Lions settled for their second consecutive tie.
Penn State Altoona finished with statistical advantages over W&J in shot attempts (13-6), shots on goal (7-3), and corner kicks (7-3).
Smith led all players in the game with four shots on goal. Farrell, Sadie McConnell (New Enterprise, PA/Northern Bedford), and KK Wolfe (Coatesville, PA/Coatesville) also recorded shots on goal, and Sarah Huston (Coatesville, PA/Coatesville) had two shot attempts.
Penn State Altoona women's soccer wraps up its brief two-game homestand this Sunday, September 11, when the Lions will host non-conference opponent Westminster College for a 2:00 p.m. game.
