Box Score

The Albright College women's soccer team played #1 Messiah close into the second half of their Commonwealth Conference semifinal on Thursday, eventually falling 3-0 in Grantham, Pa.

Senior goalkeeper Oiivia Giualino was absolutely outstanding, making 17 saves and keeping the Lions in the game until the second half.

Giuliano made her best save of the first half when she came crashing out to smother Alex Brandt's breakaway chance. Two minutes later though, Leah Sipe beat the senior goalkeeper to a cross and headed it in for the game's opening goal.

The Lions' best chance in the first half came on a 36th minute corner kick. The deflected cross fell to Alex Talbot in a very dangerous position, but she fired her shot high.

As expected the Falcons were all over Albright early, but Giuliano was up to the task. She dove to her right to save Brandt early, then held Erin Hench's 20-yard shot in the fifth minute.

Twelve minutes in, Brandt turned inside and shot inches high. A minute later, a ball deflected right to Sipe in front of goal, but her spinning shot hit the left post.

Brandt continued to threaten, turning her defender and forcing Giuliano into a diving save in the 29th minute, and then cutting past several defenders two minutes before having her breakaway smothered by Albright's goalie. Senior Lauren O'Brien soon did well to clear a dangerous cross as the Lions kept themselves within a goal at the break.

Right after halftime, Corinne Wulf hit a low shot and Giualino got down to push it away with her fingertips. A minute later, Brandt had a look from 10 yards out but fires just high.

Giuliano then made the save of the game, if not the season, getting her arm up to block Olivia Scott's volley from no more than a yard out. Giualiano couldn't keep the next attempt out however, as Sipe found the far top corner from 25 yards out for her, and Messiah's, second tally of the game.

Wulf then got in on a breakway, with Giuliano making yet another good save. Hench fired the rebound high. On the next attack, Hench crossed to Jessica Shirk for the easy tap-in, putting the game all but out of reach.

Albright falls to 8-4-5 but with three of those four losses coming against nationally-ranked opponents, the Lions are in good shape to earn an ECAC bid next week and continue their season. Selections will be announced Monday afternoon.