Women's soccer celebration vs Geneseo
Tyler Schueck
1
Penn St.-Berks PENN ST. (15-6-1)
2
Winner Geneseo GENESEO (17-1-2)
Penn St.-Berks PENN ST.
(15-6-1)
1
Final
2
Geneseo GENESEO
(17-1-2)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 OT 1 F
Penn St.-Berks PENN ST. 1 0 0 1
Geneseo GENESEO 0 1 1 2

Game Recap: Women's Soccer |

Women's soccer falls, 2-1, in OT at NCAA Regionals

GENESEO, N.Y. – The Penn State Berks women's soccer team had its 2017 season draw to a close with a 2-1 setback in overtime to No. 12 ranked SUNY Geneseo in the first round of the NCAA Regional Tournament on Saturday afternoon.

The Nittany Lions, who had their season-high nine match-win streak snapped, finish the season with a 15-6-1 overall record. Berks earned its fifth straight trip to the NCAA Tournament after defeating Penn College, 4-0, in the NEAC Championship last Sunday.

Melissa Martin broke through with a goal at the 32:58 mark of the opening period to give Berks a 1-0 advantage.

The lead would stay going into the halftime break and throughout the bulk of the second period. With the Nittany Lions clinging to a late lead, the Knights (17-1-2) were able to find the equalizer with a goal at the 88:11 mark of the match.

Regulation ended with the score knotted at 1-1 to send the Nittany Lions into overtime for the first time ever in NCAA Tournament history.

Geneseo held possession for the bulk of the extra period, collecting four shots and one corner kick. In the 98th minute, Taylor Clar drove a free kick to Leah Greene, who took the ball from outside the box and drilled the game winner inside the left post. Geneseo will take on the winner of Misericordia University and Hamilton College on Sunday at 1 p.m.

For the match, the Knight's outshot Berks by a 25-9 margin and held a 5-2 advantage on corner kicks.

One of Berks' finest scoring chances came in the 68th minute after earning a corner kick. Alexa Lopez played a ball short to Megan Jardine, who worked her way past the defense and ripped a shot over the keeper, but the ball smacked off the crossbar and out of harms way.

After working the ball through the midfield, Martin was able to get behind the defense and get off a shot that sailed just wide of the goal in the 82nd minute.

Martin turned a solid effort up top for the Nittany Lions in 97+ minutes of action. She was set up by the tremendous play out of midfielders Jardine, Lopez, Julia Green, Monica Pinel, and Charlotte Pizzuto. That group of midfielders were also just as vital on defense in limiting the Geneseo offensive attacks. Gabby Crawford provided strong minutes off the bench and made several long runs in the second half.

The defensive back line rose to the occasion, while playing every second of the match. Mackenzie Fredricks and Jess Mandeville were solid at the outside, despite playing on a wider field than they are used to defending on. The duo of Shelby Baker and Karina Raykova were solid at center back.

Paige Elmy and Kaylee Frapaul split time in goal for the Nittany Lions. Both made heads up plays defending crosses and long plays in front of the box. Elmy compiled eight saves throughout the match.

With the bulk of the team able to return next season, the Nittany Lions will look to build on the experience gained by their young squad on the national stage.
 
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