Penn State denies WVU women shot at first Final Four

West Virginia’s Kailey Utley battles for possession during Saturday’s 2-0 loss at Penn State in the NCAA Elite Eight.

 

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – No. 6 Penn State stunned No. 4 West Virginia with two first-half goals and hung on to claim Saturday’s NCAA Elite Eight women’s soccer match 2-0.

“Tons of credit goes out to Penn State tonight. I thought they did a great job coming out and pressuring us and creating their two chances and finishing them,” said coach Nikki Izzo-Brown, whose Mountaineers (19-3-1) couldn’t replicate their regular-season victory over the Big Ten champs.

West Virginia had its sights set on a first Final Four appearance only to see Penn State earn its fifth trip to the College Cup.

“It’s hard to not think about and celebrate the 19 wins—it’s just that this last loss hurts a whole lot more than those 19 wins,” Izzo-Brown said. “It’s tough. I’m in a moment where it’s tough to think about right now. We’ll have a great opportunity to celebrate just how special this team was this season. In no way do these 90 minutes sum up this season.”

The Nittany Lions (20-3-2), who advanced to face Rutgers in the national semifinal, scored in the 12th minute on midfielder Emily Ogle’s free kick from 27 yards out. Positioned near the left wing, Ogle curved her kick over defenders’ heads and past the outstretched hands of WVU senior goalkeeper Hannah Steadman.

Held scoreless for only the third time this season, the highest-scoring team in Mountaineers’ history had a point-blank chance at the equalizer in the 17th minute before Kailey Utley’s shot from near the penalty-kick line was saved by Penn State’s Britt Eckerstrom.

Steadman came up big in the 30th minute, sprawling along the goal line to stuff Frannie Crouse’s chip shot. But Crouse made good on a second attempt in the 39th minute, receiving a cross from Ellie Jean and placing a shot to the upper left corner of the net.

Facing the two-goal deficit, the Mountaineers came out of halftime attacking. WVU earned its second corner kick in the 48th minute. The ball made its way to junior defender Kadeisha Buchanan, but her bouncing shot from inside the box was met at the left post by Eckerstrom.

“The difference tonight was Penn State finished its chances, and we didn’t,” Izzo-Brown said. “Unfortunately, we made a couple of critical mistakes, but the credit goes to Penn State for pressuring us on those mistakes.”

Crouse applied pressure again in the 70th minute, but Steadman came up big on two attempts, meeting the attacker at the top of the box in the 70th minute and blocking her first shot with her body. Less than three minutes later, Steadman made a highlight-worthy kick save on a charging Crouse, getting her toes on the ball and pushing it out of bounds.

Pressured again by Crouse in the 76th minute, Steadman made a punch save on her baseline shot. The ball bounced back to midfielder Raquel Rodriguez, whose attempt went high.

WVU had a great chance late in the 80th minute, as sophomore Amandine Pierre-Louis took a hard, lofting shot from 25 yards out. Eckerstrom jumped to tip the ball above the crossbar and out of play for a Mountaineer corner kick, but WVU could not get a clean look off the set piece.

Penn State finished with a 14-8 edge in shots.

“I just want to start out with congratulating West Virginia on a fabulous season,” said Penn State coach Erica Walsh. “I thought the quality of play overall was fantastic. Both sides of the ball, so many quality players and just two good discipline teams so I’m really proud to come out on top. Britt Eckerstrom was fabulous tonight in goal. All of our seniors have been so special throughout this final run of the season here.”





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