BRYN ATHYN, Pa. – The Bryn Athyn College women's soccer team continues its run to its first North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) championship when the Lions take on top seed and host Penn State Berks in the semifinal round of the conference tournament on Saturday, Nov. 4 at 2:30 p.m.
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Bryn Athyn needed penalty kicks to get past Lancaster Bible on Tuesday in a quarterfinal round matchup. After playing to a scoreless draw, the Lions won the shootout 3-2. Allie Warren made 12 saves during the 110 minutes of play and three more stops in the shootout. Kristen White, Shannon Mueller, and Gianna Ciacciarrelli converted their penalty kicks.
The Lions are 9-6-1 overall and the fourth seed after going 5-5-0 in NEAC play.
Penn State Berks—13-5-1 overall and a perfect 10-0-0 against the NEAC—cruised to a 9-0 triumph over visiting Penn State Abington. Caitlin Golden had three goals and one assist in the win, while Megan Jardine added two goals and one assist. Berks outshot Abington 46-0.
SERIES HISTORY
The Lions are 0-2-0 in against the Nittany Lions. The two teams squared off nine days earlier with Berks picking up a 5-0 victory in Reading. The Nittany Lions owned a 47-2 shot advantage. Warren made a program-record 21 saves for Bryn Athyn.
Berks defeated Bryn Athyn 8-0 in the first meeting between the squads on Sept. 6, 2016, in Bryn Athyn.
SCOUTING THE LIONS
Shelby Puccio, an All-NEAC second-team selection and three-time NEAC offensive player of the week—is Bryn Athyn's leading scorer with 20 goals and 42 points, both program records. She is ranked second in goals, third in points, and fourth with three game-winning goals. Puccio is currently 14th in Division III in goals, 15th in goals per game (1.25), 21st in points per game (2.63), and 26th in total points.
An All-NEAC third-team pick, White is the conference leader in assists with 14, which also ranked third in Division III. She had also contributed seven goals, including three match-winning goals. She is 10th in the NEAC with 28 points.
Rose Glass is second on the team in goals (8) and third (18). She has scored five times against NEAC competition.
Leading the defensive effort are All-NEAC third team selection Gianna Ciacciarelli and Warren. The Lions are fifth in the conference with a 1.36 goals-against average and third with seven shutouts. Warren—a three-time NEAC defensive player of the week—is the NEAC leader in save percentage (.854), fifth in saves (129), and sixth in goals against average.
SCOUTING PENN STATE BERKS
The Nittany Lions go into Saturday's semifinal on a seven-match winning streak. Penn State Berks leads the NEAC in goals (92), shots per game (28.5), shots on goal (299), assists (76), corner kicks (140), goals against average (0.62), and shutouts (11).
Berks swept the NEAC major awards with Golden taking home the player of the year award, Megan Jardine earning the defensive player of the year honor, and Melissa Martin being named the rookie of the year.
Golden is sixth in Division III with 55 points, eighth with 22 goals, and 2.89 points per game—all conference highs. She is averaging a Division III-high 7.26 shots per game. Golden has scored in the Nittany Lions' last seven contests, including three hat tricks.
In addition to her defensive skills, Jardine—an All-NEAC first team player—is leading the conference with 13 assists and third on the team with 13 goals and 40 points. Martin was named to the All-NEAC second team after racking up 18 goals and 42 points, which are fifth and third, respectively, in the conference.
In goal is All-NEAC second team keeper Paige Elmy. She is leading the NEAC in goals against average (.605) and second in save percentage (.850).