BRADFORD, Pa. – For the fourth consecutive season the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford women's soccer team will meet Penn State Behrend in the AMCC Championship game.
The Panthers punched their ticket to the title game with a 5-2 victory over D'Youville in a wild semifinal on Wednesday afternoon at the Kessel Athletic Complex.
"It was the kind of game that you sometimes see in the playoffs: a little bit wild at times with a couple of very unusual goals," said Pitt-Bradford head coach Mike Idland. "I was really pleased with how well our team navigated the peaks and valleys of the game and still managed to stay focused on our jobs."
The Panther's five goals came from five different players. Kaitlyn Williams, Bethany Carpenter, Maggie Boehler, Jamie Christensen and Courtney Shade scored one goal each. Delaney Houtz added two assists, Meghan Stuck chipped in with another and Sarah Dailey picked up four saves to earn the victory in goal.
Pitt-Bradford got off to a fast start with Williams finishing a corner kick from Houtz in the 10th minute, and Carpenter drilling a penalty kick in the 12th minute.
However, the Spartans refused to go away. Rebecca Alvira brought the Spartans within 2-1 with a goal to the top left corner of the net in the 16th minute.
Catie Giebner then tied the game at 2-2 with a chip shot that forced Dailey back into her own net, allowing the ball to just make it over the goal line in the 64th minute.
Boehler gave the Panthers the lead for good when she dribbled past the keeper, letting the ball trickle into the net in the 70th minute.
The Panthers added two insurance goals later in the half. 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.
Shade then put the game out of reach at 5-2 with a terrific finish off of a long pass from Stuck in the 79th minute.
Pitt-Bradford outshot D'Youville 21-8 and held a 6-4 advantage in corners in the victory.
Saturday's opponent, Penn State Behrend, reached the AMCC with a 5-0 victory over sixth-seeded Penn State Altoona on Wednesday afternoon. The Lions have won four straight conference titles.
*Photo by Wade Aiken*
