Women's Soccer Claims Seventh Straight AMCC Championship

ERIE, Pa. – Olivia Belack (Upper St. Clair, PA/Upper St. Clair) scored the game-winning goal in the 88^th minute to lead No. 1 Penn State Behrend past No. 3 Franciscan in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Championship on Saturday.

The Lions (15-4-1) won their seventh straight championship and 13^th overall in the 21-year history of the conference. Jordan Oberlander (Waterford, PA/Fort LeBoeuf) had a hand in every goal, scoring the first two and then assisting on the game-winner for five points.

Belack, Ania Gorski (Harborcreek, PA/Harbor Creek) and Ashlyn Whipple (Washington, PA/Canon McMillan) were named to the All-Tournament Team for their efforts over the last two games.

Oberlander wasted no time getting on the board. She took an original shot that was saved by Sarah Luebking, but that shot was bobbled and Oberlander followed it up to tap it over the line for a 1-0 lead at the 4:28 mark.

Exactly one minute later, Megan Luiso headed in the first goal for the Barons (10-9) off a corner from Katie Kilian) at 5:28 to make it 1-all.

In true championship style, the teams battled the remainder of the first half with Franciscan firing three shots in a sequence where Caroline Mashyna (Erie, PA/McDowell) made a header off the post for a team save.

The Barons got the equalizer when Kilian did all the work on the right side, sliding a shot past Gorski to make it 2-all in the 55^th minute.

Behrend had chances in the second half. Belack fired a shot and Luebking made a diving save to her right to keep the game even.

With just over two minutes left, Oberlander send a through ball into the box and Belack beat the Baron defender to tuck the pall into the left corner for the game winner.

The Lions earned the AMCC automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Behrend will await the announcement of the bracket on Monday.