PITT-BRADFORD, BEHREND FAMILIAR FACES IN WOMEN'S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP

For the third consecutive season, the Pitt-Bradford women’s soccer team will meet Penn State Behrend in the AMCC Championship game.

Pitt-Bradford 5, D'Youville 2
After falling short in last year's championship game to Penn St. Behrend, the Panthers will have a shot at redemption after a 5-2 victory over D'Youville in the AMCC semifinals. Pitt-Bradford got off to a fast start, going up 2-0, with sophomore M Kaitlyn Williams finishing a corner kick from sophomore M Delaney Houtz in the 10^th minute, and freshman D Bethany Carpenter drilling a penalty kick in the 12^th minute. However, the Spartans refused to go away. Senior F Rebecca Alvira brought the Spartans within 2-1 with a goal to the top left corner of the net in the 16^th minute. Senior M Catie Giebner then tied the game at 2-2 with a chip shot that forced sophomore GK Sarah Dailey back into her own net, allowing the ball to just make it over the goal line in the 64^th minute. Senior F Maggie Boehler gave the Panthers the lead for good when she dribbled past the keeper, letting the ball trickle into the net in the 70^th minute. The Panthers added two insurance goals later in the half. Senior D Jamie Christensen gathered a rebound off of Houtz’s corner kick and hammered the ball through a tight window and past the keeper from the top of the box. Freshman F Courtney Shade then put the game out of reach at 5-2 with a terrific finish off of a long pass from Stuck in the 79^th minute. Dailey picked up four saves to earn the victory in goal.

Penn St. Behrend 5, Penn St. Altoona 0
The Penn St. Behrend Lions will advance to their sixth straight AMCC championship game with a 5-0 victory over Penn St. Altoona. The Lions took charge from the beginning with three goals in the first half. Oberlander registered the first two goals off corner kicks. Senior D Abbie Schuster  took the first corner kick and found Oberlander's head at the 7:06 mark for a 1-0 lead. Oberlander struck again 18 minutes later, this time off a corner kick from sophomore D Rachel Weyand. She knocked in the ball from a few yards out for a quick 2-0 lead. Freshman F Megan Schwartz made it 3-0 with 1:10 left in the first half. Freshman M Tessa Munshower sent a ball through to Schwartz, who beat her defender and buried a shot into the upper right corner. Moments later, the Altoona Lions were awarded a penalty kick for a hand ball in the box but Altoona's shot hit the crossbar to help preserve the shut out. Two more goals came in the second half for the Lions. Junior F Alex Bilka tallied the first one off a pass from Oberlander, sending her shot over the top of the goalie at the 53:44 mark for a 4-0 lead. Weyand got the final goal for Behrend in the 68^th minute. She blasted a shot from the left side thanks to a double assist from freshmen midfielders Laura Schaefer and Caitlin Caldwell. Senior GK Taylor Troyan did not need to make a save in the 73 minutes she played in goal. Freshman GK Mackenzie Troyan came in with 16:47 left and helped the team earn the shut out and their 12^th win of the season.

Kickoff between the Panthers and Lions is slated for 2pm on Saturday and the winner will receive the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA national tournament. The national championship will take place December 4-5 in Kansas City, MO.