Women's Soccer Downs Altoona; Lions Advance to AMCC Championship Game

ERIE, Pa. – The Penn State Behrend women's soccer team advances to their sixth straight Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Championship game with a 5-0 win over sixth-seed Penn State Altoona in the semifinals on Wednesday afternoon.

The second-seeded Lions (12-7) are making their 16^th overall appearance in the title game and will face No. 1 Pitt-Bradford, a 5-2 winner over D'Youville in the other semifinal. Sophomore Jordan Oberlander (Waterford, PA/Fort LeBoeuf) netted a pair of goals, including the eventual game winner, and added an assist to lead Behrend.

Junior Alex Bilka (Cranberry Township, PA/Seneca Valley) also scored, putting her two points away from breaking the single-season record set at 44. Megan Schwartz (Shaler, PA/Shaler) and Rachel Weyand (Butler, PA/Butler) completed the scoring for the Lions.

Behrend took charge and made a statement with three goals in the first half. Oberlander registered the first two goals off corner kicks. Defender Abbie Schuster (Upper St. Clair, PA/Upper St. Clair) took the first corner kick and found Oberlander's head at the 7:06 mark for a 1-0 lead.

Oberlander struck again 18 minutes later, this time off a corner kick from Weyand. She knocked in the ball from a few yards out for a quick 2-0 lead. Schwartz made it 3-0 with 1:10 left in the first half. Tessa Munshower (Clearfield, PA/Clearfield) sent a ball through to Schwartz, who beat her defender and buried a shot into the upper right corner.

Moments later, the Altoona Lions (5-12-1) were awarded a penalty kick for a hand ball in the box but Brittany Allison's shot hit the crossbar to help preserve the shut out.

Two more goals came in the second half for the Lions. Bilka tallied the first one off a pass from Oberlander, sending her shot over the top of the goalie at the 53:44 mark for a 4-0 lead. Weyand got the final goal for Behrend in the 68^th minute. She blasted a shot from the left side thanks to a double assist from Laura Schaefer (Erie, PA/General McLane) and Caitlin Caldwell (Belle Vernon, PA/Belle Vernon).

Taylor Troyan (Butler, PA/Butler) did not need to make a save in the 73 minutes she played in goal. Mackenzie Troyan (Butler, PA/Butler) came in with 16:47 left and helped the team earn the shut out and their 12^th win of the season.

 The Lions return to action on Saturday at Pitt-Bradford for the AMCC Championship game. Kick-off is set for 2 p.m.