By: Frank Maira, Assistant Director of Athletics/Sports Information Director
MONT ALTO, Pa. – The Penn State Mont Alto women's soccer team celebrated Senior Day as Karina Padilla (Biglerville, Pa. / Biglerville) and Angel Schoonover (Woodhull, N. Y. / Jasper-Troupsburg) were honored for their outstanding accomplishments on the field and in the classroom prior to beginning of the match.
It took the first 15 minutes or so for Mont Alto (3-6, 2-3 PSUAC) to find its footing in the match, but PSU Scranton took advantage and their second shot of the game by Lucy Adams found the back of the net at the 14:13 mark. The equalizer wouldn't come until the 41st minute when Karina Padilla (Biglerville, Pa. / Biglerville) tapped in a free kick effort that was initially saved by Trinity Gammaitoni. The homestanding Lions outshot the visitors by a 14-3 margin in the first half.
Mont Alto came out of halftime rejuvenated and Maddie Shirley (Biglerville, Pa. / Biglerville) scored two goals in just over one minute of play with the first coming off an assist by Shania Atherton (Saint Thomas, Pa. / James Buchanan) and Shirley made it 3-1 with an unassisted effort in the 64th minute.
Atherton put Mont Alto up 4-1 at the 68:22 mark when she made the most of a Kara Newell (Shippensburg, Pa. / Shippensburg) pass as the freshman finished with two assists. Atherton completed the scoring with her second goal of the match and fourth of the season in the 84th minute. PSUMA dominated the possession in the second half and didn't allow the visitors to register a shot.
Mont Alto returns to action on Saturday, October 20 for its final match of the regular season against Penn State Lehigh Valley. The Lions are thick of the PSUAC playoff hunt and need either a win on Saturday or a Penn State Schuylkill loss to PSU Beaver, with that match also being played on Saturday.
