CHESTER, Pa. – The Albright women's soccer team suffered a 3-2 setback in a hard-fought MAC Commonwealth contest at Widener after a late second half rally by the Lions propelled the game into double overtime.
With the loss, the Lions fall to 2-4 in conference play and 7-7-2 overall. Meanwhile, the Pride improves to 3-2 in MAC Commonwealth play and 8-4 overall.
Widener controlled the pace in the first half as they fired off 18 shots and held Albright to just two. Senior
Autumn Bieber applied pressure on the Pride's back line early, posting the first shot of the game in the sixth minute that veered off to the right. Widener tallied the next three shots of the half, to which first-year goalkeeper
McKenna LeVan made two saves. Senior
Stephanie Calafiore had the next opportunity for the Lions in the tenth minute but unfortunately could not find the back of the net. Widener finally broke through with a goal in the 33
rd minute to give the Pride a 1-0 lead entering halftime.
Albright came out of the half fired up as Bieber tallied the first shot on goal for the Lions in the 48
th minute, but Widener goalkeeper Samantha Coon shut it down. Senior
Diza Hasanaj finally got the Lions on the board in the 78
th minute off a corner kick feed from Bieber to tie the game up at one. The Pride responded with another goal in the 84
th minute to take the lead at 2-1. Just when it looked as if the game was coming to a close, Bieber tucked the ball into the back of the net with less than a minute a to spare to send the game into extra frames.
Albright earned a corner kick in the 91
st minute but failed to get a shot off in the first overtime. Widener had an opportunity in the 98
th minute but fired a shot off wide as the game carried over into a second overtime session. LeVan kept the Lions alive in the 101
st minute when the Pride got a shot off following a corner kick. However, Widener quickly got the ball back, crossed it into the box, and tucked it into the back of the net to claim the 3-2 double overtime win.
A strong first half led Widener to a sizable 28-6 shot advantage and a 11-3 shot on goal advantage over Albright. LeVan receives the loss for Albright despite completing eight saves in 90 minutes of action. Coon earns the win for the Lions with just one save in 90 minutes of action.
The Lions return to Shirk Stadium on Tuesday at 7 p.m. to host local MAC Commonwealth rival Alvernia.
