Last minute heroics by Lock Haven Freshman Danielle Smith (Johnson, N.Y./Miniskink Valley) lifted the Lock Haven University women’s soccer team over Bloomsburg University, 2-1 in the fourth overtime, for the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference post-season tournament title this afternoon on McCollum field.
It is Lock Haven’s third straight PSAC post-season tournament title and third overall, boosting the Lady Eagles to a 17-3-0 overall record. Bloomsburg University falls to 15-3-1 overall.
In an almost identical repeat of last season’s four-overtime thriller (LHU won, 3-2) between the two programs for the conference title, LHU’s Smith was named the championship MVP after scoring both of Lock Haven’s goals. Smith’s goal in the 144th minute reflected last year’s result, also a game-winning score in the 144th minute of play.
The first half was an evenly played but intensely physical battle, with both teams entering into intermission in a 0-0 tie. Bloomsburg had one near-scoring opportuniy in the first half, as Kerry Eberhardt (Layton, N.J./Kittatinny Regional) passed forward to Rebecca Stametz (Shamokin/Southern Columbia), who worked downfield, side-stepped the charging LHU keeper at five-yards out, then got off a rolling shot on goal. With the LHU keeper beat, defender Shannon Becker (Durhan/Palisades) came to the rescue, stopping the ball on the goal line to prevent the score.
The start of the second half picked up where the first had left off. In the 55th minute, just seconds after entering the game, Bloomsburg’s Nicole Yerkes (Mt. Holly, N.J./Rancocas Valley) took a ball down the left sideline. After maneuvering around the defense to get off a clean shot, she sent a deep cross ball that floated above the outstretched arms of the Haven Keeper into the back corner of the net to put Bloomsburg ahead, 1-0.
That lead held for almost the remainder of the half, as Lock Haven brought on the attack but could not get anything in the net. With 3:30 to go in the game, a corner kick attempt by LHU came close, but the header went just wide of the goal. The next corner would do the trick, however, as Kristi Ward (Philadelphia/Nazareth Academy) sent the kick out in front of the goal, and after a quick shuffle, Danielle Smith came up with the ball at the top left corner of the box and rocketed the shot through the pipes for the equalizer with just 51 seconds left in regulation.
Three scoreless sudden victory overtimes followed, and in each stanza, both teams took turns playing off momentum and short surges of attacking but with no goals to account for.
As time wound down in the final overtime, Lock Haven was awarded a free kick from 30 yards out. The kick went right on the goal, but the Bloomsburg defense knocked it down. Another frenzy in front of the goal for control of the ball ensued, and with the ball loose in the air on the left hand side of the box, Smith came up with the ball again, and headed it right past the keeper to capture the Haven victory.
Goal Assist Time
Nicole Yerks (BU) - 54:08
Danielle Smith (LHU) - 89:09
Danielle Smith (LHU) - 143:06
Shots: LHU (24), Bloomsburg (16)
Corners: LHU (10, Bloomsburg (6)
Goalkeepers: Ashley Babiarz (LHU) - 143 min., 6 sv, 1 ga ; Heather Hartman (BU) - 140 min., 9 sv, 2 ga / Rebecca Stametz (BU) - 3 min., 0 sv., 0 ga.