Lady Warriors Come Back to Win Season Opener
Rinesmith Tallies Game-Clincher in Final Seconds of Overtime
Box Score

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. --- The Lycoming women’s soccer team used all but one second of the ten minute overtime period to complete a stellar comeback in its opening game of the season, defeating Alfred University 3-2 on Sunday afternoon.  The Lady Warriors moved their record to 1-0 with Alfred falling to 0-2 following a pair of games at the River Kickoff Classic tournament.

Sophomore winger Stephanie Shearer (Reading, Pa.) darted down the far sideline with less than ten seconds to play in the first “golden goal” extra frame and struck a perfect cross into the center of the Saxons’ goal area.  Junior Amanda Rinesmith (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) made the effort count with a solid shot into the net to send the Lady Warriors’ to their second straight opening game victory.

It didn’t look good early for the blue and gold as sloppy play and a poor finishing wasted several early opportunities.  Alfred, on the other hand, took advantage of one of their few first half opportunities with a goal in the 30^th minute by Danna Reynolds.

The Saxons picked a second score less than five minutes into the second stanza when Nicole DiPietro sent a powerful strike over Lycoming net-minder Jessica Bennett (Crofton, Md.) and into the goal for a 2-0 advantage.

Shearer cut the lead in half in the 73^rd minute after collecting a cutting pass from junior Gabrielle Toy (Whitehall, Pa.) and placing a striking above the goalkeeper and into the near corner.

Sophomore Sarah Wingerden (Palmyra, Pa.) recorded the tying score with just 2:28 left in regulation play.  Sophomore captain Dana Steinbruch (Wyckoff, N.J.) sent a long ball down the seam to spring Wingerden beyond the defense with only the keeper to beat.  The speedy striker used a pair of control touches to setup a sold strike into the far netting to knot the score.

Shearer and Steinbruch were joined by sophomore forward Rebekah Shipe (Northumberland, Pa.) as the Lady Warrior contingent on the all-tournament team.  Rebecca Pociask, Yaicha Winters, and DiPietro earned all-tourney honors for Alfred.

Lycoming is next in action on Sunday, September 10, against Keystone College.  Game time is set for 3:30 p.m. in Williamsport at the Shangraw Athletic Complex.