Lions Overpower Pioneers in AMCC Tourney Opener
ALTOONA, Pa. – The No. 3 seed Penn State Altoona women's soccer team started its postseason run with a victory on Saturday afternoon, when the Lions defeated No. 6 seed Alfred State College 5-0 at Spring Run Stadium.
Emilee Roman (Davidsville, PA/Conemaugh Township) scored her first collegiate hat trick for Penn State Altoona (6-8-2), while Mallorie Smith (Bellefonte, PA/Bellefonte) had two goals and two assists. Taylor Frederick (Mifflinburg, PA/Mifflinburg) and Kylei Martin (Mifflinburg, PA/Mifflinburg) recorded one assist apiece for the Lions.
Adeline Baustert (Apollo, PA/Apollo-Ridge) earned her sixth win and sixth shutout of the season between the pipes for the Lions, making five saves to blank Alfred State (4-10-3) for the second time this year.
Penn State Altoona put its first goal on the board less than three minutes into the game. Frederick sent a pass from the left side of the field into the middle, where Roman took it, dribbled ahead, and beat the keeper at 2:45.
Smith scored Penn State Altoona's next two goals, helping her team to a 3-0 advantage by halftime. At 7:29, Smith knocked Martin's corner kick into the net, and she took advantage of an Alfred State turnover to score her second goal of the day at 37:09.
Midway through the second half, Roman scored two goals in less than two minutes to help ice Penn State Altoona's victory. Roman netted her second tally of the afternoon at 61:37, taking a pass up the left side of the field from Smith and beating the keeper to make it 4-0. Shortly thereafter, Smith again sent a ball upfield for Roman, who scored her third goal at 62:32 to increase the Lions' lead to 5-0.
Penn State Altoona finished the game with an 18-16 advantage over Alfred State in shot attempts, including a solid 12-5 margin in shots on goal. The Lions also earned six corner kicks to the Pioneers' five.
Roman led all players in the game with five shots on goal, while Smith had a game-high seven shot attempts, placing four on target. Frederick, Sophia Nelson (Bellwood, PA/Bellwood-Antis), and Hailey Yaletsko (Philadelphia, PA/Philadelphia Academy Charter) also finished with one shot on goal apiece.
Penn State Altoona women's soccer advances to the AMCC Tournament semifinal round, and the Lions will travel to take on No. 2 seed Pitt-Greensburg on Wednesday, November 6, at 7 p.m. That game will be played at Hempfield High School in Greensburg.
