Lions Capture Regular-Season Championship in Thriller

ERIE, Pa - Sean Gallagher (Bethel Park, PA/Bethel Park) converted a penalty kick with 8:04 left in the game to defeat Medaille 1-0. With the win, Behrend secured the regular-season championship and rights to host a semi-final match next Wednesday.

The Lions (15-1-3, 8-0-1 AMCC) and Mavericks (11-4-2, 7-1-1 AMCC) battled through a scoreless first half. Medaille edged Behrend in shots 4-2. The Lions best opportunity to score came in the 44th minute off the foot of Anton Benedikt (Madison, NJ/Madison). His shot deflected just wide of the net, keeping the match scoreless. 

Much of the second half was similar to the first. The defense on both teams kept play in the middle of the field.

It wasn't until the 81st minute when a ball played up to Anthony Crivelli (Cranberry Twp, PA/Seneca Valley) led to the eventual game-winning opportunity. Crivelli broke past a defender on the left side who tripped him in the box. Gallagher was called upon to take the penalty kick which he burried past Mavericks goalkeeper, Brian Arcara. That is the third converted penalty kick for Gallagher this season.

For the next eight minutes the Behrend defense held off Medaille. Chris Ralph (Murrysville, PA/Franklin Regional) made three saves for the Lions. He now has eight shutout victories.

Behrend will face the winner of No. 4 seed Franciscan and No. 5 seed La Roche in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) semi-finals on Novemeber 2. Game time is TBA.