FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
9 November 2003

Lady Eagles Come Up Short in PSAC Title Bid Versus Slippery Rock, 4-3

>>>full box score

(Slippery Rock, Pa.) - The Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania women’s soccer team scored a goal with just under 10 minutes remaining to move to within one of Slippery Rock University (15-2-2), but the top-seeded Rock held on for the 4-3 win to claim its first Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) championship. The Lady Eagles wrap up their tournament appearance with a 10-12-1 overall ledger.
          Lock Haven took a 1-0 lead off a goal by forward Cheryl Runko (Selinsgrove/Selinsgrove), who beat the keeper from 13 yards out off a cross from Joanna Bisphan (Hamilton,New Zealand/Hillcrest) after just 8:42 of action.
          The Rock’s Lauren Steele brought the game back to even with a goal off a Sarah Arsenault assist two minutes later.
          With almost ten minutes remaining in the first half, the Haven’s Jennifer Meassick (Endwell, N.Y./Maine Endwell) was able to get the ball past the defense, scoring off a long cross into the box by Danielle Smith (Johnson, N.Y./Minisink Valley).  
          The one-goal Haven lead would again be short-lived as Slippery Rock’s Annie Manno pocketed a score after a pass from Meghan McGrath at the 43:01 mark, sending the teams into the halftime break deadlocked at 2-2.
         Slippery Rock set the tone quickly in the second half, rocketing two shots past the Haven defense and keeper Brandie Kessler (Bethlehem/Saucon Valley) to move out into a 4-2 lead.  The Rock’s Nici Spamer scored at 46:37 off an assist from Jessica Markowski, then Markowski netted the fourth, game-winning goal off an Arsenault assist.
         Forced to play catch-up, the Lady Eagles were finally able to get their third goal past Slippery Rock’s Amanda Weir at 80:26.  Off a corner taken by Holly Homsher (Millersville/Penn Manor), Joanna Bisphan got to the ball first and sent a shot towards the goal that banged off the crossbar.  Kimberly Thompson (Ephrata/Ephrata) was able to fight through the crowd near the goal and booted in the rebound to cut the deficit in half, 4-3. 
          The Lady Eagles’ Danielle Smith got off one more shot in the half to try for the tie, but it was stopped by Weir. 
          Slippery Rock out-shot the Haven, 9-7, while Lock Haven had a 5-3 advantage in corner kicks.  Lady Eagle goalie Brandie Kessler made two saves.  Slippery Rock’s Weir also tallied two stops.

###LHU###

PSAC Tournament Championship: 
11/8/03  -  Slippery Rock, Pa.