Warriors Fall in Heartbreaker

Selinsgrove, Pa. – Irony would have it that Lycoming College women’s soccer would play its best game over the last four years and have the final outcome in favor of the wrong team.

In what head coach Scott Kennell calls “quite possibly the best game this team has played” in his tenure at the helm, the Warriors fell to Susquehanna University 1-0 on Tuesday night at Susquehanna.  A goal from A.J. Chianese off a corner kick in the 103^rd minute did in Lycoming’s courageous effort.

Coming in with several players banged up from previous games, the injury bug continued to plague the Warriors, limiting the options available to Coach Kennell.  But he still was quite proud of his athletes.

“I can’t tell you how proud I am of this team.  To come out here, play a regionally ranked opponent who had in previous years had their way with us, and almost come away with victory in the situation that we’re in is outstanding.  It goes a long way to show the direction that this program is going.”

The Crusaders, ranked ninth in the Mid-Atlantic Region by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, had dominated the Warriors in previous years.  In 2003, Susquehanna beat Lycoming 8-0 and followed that up with a 5-0 win last season.  Tonight’s 1-0 proves that the direction of the program is quite promising.

Susquehanna subdued the Warrior’s potent attack, holding them to only three total shots for the game.  Sophomore Danielle Curry (West Chester, Pa./East) had Lycoming’s best opportunity to score late in the second half, but missed wide of the net sending the two foes into overtime.

Sophomore goalkeeper Jessica Bennett (Crofton, Md./South River) made seven saves in the effort.

The Warriors are next in action on Sunday, September 11, at Keystone College.  Game time is set for 1:00 p.m.