Bearcats Hold off Lions, 2-1
ALTOONA, Pa. – Penn State Altoona women's soccer found the back of the net for the first time this season, but the Lions were unable to overcome visiting non-conference opponent Saint Vincent College on Sunday afternoon, as the Bearcats prevailed 2-1 at Spring Run Stadium.
Sophia Nelson (Bellwood, PA/Bellwood-Antis) scored her first collegiate goal for Penn State Altoona (0-4), and it also represented the Lions' first goal of the season. But St. Vincent (3-1) got scores from Hailie Stamm and Abby Karkowski to pull out a one-goal victory.
Nicole Schwartz (Clifton, NJ/Passaic County Technical) made her first collegiate start in goal for Penn State Altoona and recorded seven saves in the loss.
St. Vincent drew first blood at 16:23, when a failed clearing attempt by Penn State Altoona's defense came right to the foot of Stamm, who deflected the ball into the net to make it 1-0.
Penn State Altoona evened the score at 21:20. Schwartz sent a long goal kick to midfield, where it found Nelson. Nelson dribbled into the St. Vincent box and scored on a shot from the left side to tie the score at 1-1.
But St. Vincent got back in front before the intermission. Brooke Garman sent a cross from the right edge of the box into the middle, and Karkowski sent a shot into the right side of the goal from 12 yards to put the Bearcats ahead again, 2-1, at the 38:58 mark.
Karkowski's goal proved to be the final tally of the contest, as the teams played a scoreless second half.
St. Vincent led 19-7 in shot attempts, including a 9-5 advantage in shots on goal.
Mallorie Smith (Bellefonte, PA/Bellefonte) attempted a team-high three shots for Penn State Altoona, putting one on goal. Nelson had a team-best two shots on goal, while Schenley Farrell (Philipsburg, PA/Philipsburg-Osceola) and Amanda Hazel (Clearfield, PA/Clearfield) also put shots on target for the Lions.
Women's soccer returns to the road for its next game, traveling to Pittsburgh this Thursday, September 14 to take on non-conference foe Chatham University at 7 p.m.
