READING — The Penn State Berks women's soccer team (2-3-1) hosted Elizabethtown College (2-1-2) in non-conference action on Saturday, September 19. The Nittany Lions and the Bluejays had multiple opportunities to score, with each defense holding strong as the game ended in a 0-0 tie. Berks celebrated their seniors on Senior Day prior to the match.
Berks opened the first half with early pressure, getting shots from
Paige Thomas in the second minute and
Maci Laster in the fifth while
Riley Fisher answered an Elizabethtown chance with a save at 3:15. Laster put the Blue & White's lone shot on goal at 26:52, forcing a save, and Fisher followed with another stop less than two minutes later to keep the half scoreless. Elizabethtown generated six shots in the half, but the Nittany Lions held firm through a later stretch that included three fouls and no cards. The teams went into halftime without a goal in the opening 45 minutes.
The Nittany Lions pushed the second half without breaking through, generating 11 shots and forcing Elizabethtown into five saves as the match remained scoreless.
Anika Carpenter,
Paige Thomas and
Danica Aaronson took three shots and earned a corner in the first four minutes, and Thomas later put back-to-back attempts on frame at 58:17 and 58:45. Elizabethtown answered with pressure around the hour mark, but Fisher saved Linnet Laiser's 61:33 shot and Berks kept the game at 0-0 through a stretch that included three Elizabethtown shots and a corner. The Blue & White resumed its push with saved attempts from Laster and Carpenter, then got late shots from Laster,
Kylee West and
Ava Ortiz, but the second half ended scoreless and the match finished 0-0.
Fisher played all 90 minutes in goal and recorded a shutout with three saves. Laster led Berks with five shots, putting two on goal.
Paige Thomas added four shots, including two on frame.
SENIOR DAY
Before the match, the Nittany Lions recognized
Zoe Macknicki,
Lauren LeKites,
Devon Deery, and
Paige Thomas as Berks honored their seniors on Senior Day.
WHO'S NEXT
Up next, the Nittany Lions visit FDU-Florham on Monday, Sept. 21, at 10 p.m. at Artificial Turf Athletic Field in Reading, Pennsylvania.
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