Savannah Cramer setting up the defense
2
Winner Penn State Berks PSBW2012 (7-2)
1
Alvernia ALVWS (7-3-1)
Winner
Penn State Berks PSBW2012
(7-2)
2
Final
1
Alvernia ALVWS
(7-3-1)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Penn State Berks PSBW2012 1 1 2
Alvernia ALVWS 0 1 1

Game Recap: Women's Soccer |

Nittany Lions hang on for thrilling win over Alvernia

READING, PA (September 25, 2012) - Sara Conover scored two goals and Savannah Cramer made one amazing save after another as the Penn State Berks women's soccer team picked up a 2-1 victory on the road at Alvernia University on Tuesday evening. (Boxscore)

The Nittany Lions (7-2) earned their seventh straight victory, matching the 2009 squad for longest win streak in program-history. The 2009 squad is also the only other Berks team to have beaten the Crusaders (7-2-1), winning by a score of 1-0.

Conover tallied the first of her two scores after Ellie McKinstry led her past the defenders with a perfect pass down the sideline. Conover unloaded a line drive with her left foot that sailed over the keepers the head and through left half of the net to put Berks ahead 1-0 at the 11:57 mark of the match.

With the Crusaders on an offensive attack, defender Melissa Bennett did her job by clearing the ball deep into Alvernia territory. The speedy Conover took off and got past the Alvernia defense and headed the ball over the approaching keeper to build a two goal lead for the Nittany Lions. Conover increased her conference-lead in goals to 11.

Alvernia cut the lead in half when Kelsey Gill tallied a goal in the 61st minute. That goal ended a program-best streak of 380 minutes, 07 seconds without allowing a score. The streak lasted over the course of five contests and dated back to early in the second half of a 2-1 win over Lancaster Bible College on September 15.

Cramer, who stopped 13 shots in the contest, saved her best performance for the second half. The sophomore keeper refused to allow the Crusaders to even up the match over the final 34 minutes. She made an acrobatic diving save on three of Alvernia's final four shots on goal. In the 82nd minute, Katelyn Gill took a shot from the right side of the box that appeared to be a heading into the corner, but Cramer flew out of nowhere and batted the ball out midair to preserve the lead.

Cramer sports a 0.84 goals against average and has compiled 48 saves this season. The defensive unit of Ashley Pardoski, Bennett, Emily Rumpf, and Katie Warner have played a large part in Cramer's success in net. Bennett recorded her second defensive save of the season when she deflected an Alvernia shot at the goal line early in the first half.

Alvernia outshot the Nittany Lions 21-3 and held the advantage on corners by an 11-2 margin. But the Nittany Lions led in the category that mattered most, goals scored.

The Nittany Lions will return to action when they host the College of Saint Elizabeth in a NEAC contest on Saturday, September 29 at 1 p.m.

 
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