BOX SCORE
WEST CHESTER, Pa. – No. 5 West Chester University survived a late scare from No. 24 Kutztown, but held on to claim the 2009 PSAC Women’s Soccer Championship on a sunny, but cool, Saturday morning at South Campus Field.
West Chester (19-1-1) upped its winning streak to 13 straight and its unbeaten string to 19 straight. It marked the Golden Rams’ third conference championship in the last four years. WCU also won the title back-to-back in 2006 and 2007.
Junior forward Sarah Oswald scored the game-winning goal Saturday and was named the tournament MVP for the second time in her college career. She finished the three-game tournament with two goals and four assists. Oswald was also named tournament MVP in 2007.
It was a tale of two halves on Saturday for both squads. The first frame was a sloppy one as neither team could capitalize on the few chances that they had. The Golden Rams managed only three shots on goal in the first half.
Jen Gangl provided a much needed spark off the bench for West Chester in the second half. Gangl’s perfectly placed corner kick in the 70th minute was headed home by Lara Bodenstab, putting the Golden Rams up, 1-0. The goal was Bodenstab’s second of the postseason.
Gangl recorded another assist just five minutes later after dribbling through several Kutztown defenders. Gangl found Oswald inside the box, who buried the ball past the Bears' goalkeeper Alyssa Hackelberg.
West Chester looked to be comfortably ahead until Kutztown finally found the net in the 89th minute off the foot of Stephanie Barnett, cutting the score to 2-1. A last ditch effort by Kutztown fell just short, with Golden Rams' goalkeeper Lyndsie Bernardini making an electrifying save on Kutztown forward Chelsea Bressler with just 10 seconds on the clock.
Bernardini was outstanding in goal for West Chester, turning away seven Kutztown shots, including one on a breakaway in the 72nd minute.
“Lyndsie hasn’t gotten tested a lot this year,” said junior midfielder Jessica Bennett. “For her to come up big like that it just pushed us that much harder to win it.”
This win was especially exciting for the Golden Rams after a disappointing early exit from last year’s PSAC tournament. West Chester fell to Mercyhurst in the PSAC semifinal round in 2008.
“They wanted the championship back,” said West Chester head coach Betty Ann Kempf Townsley. “This is what they set out to do. You’re on your home field. You have the advantage. The last thing you want to see is for other team to walk out of here winning the trophy.”
NOTES: The victory was head coach Betty Ann Kempf Townsley’s 50th career win at West Chester University… The Golden Rams are now 3-1 all-time in the PSAC Championship game … West Chester is unbeaten in its last 11-games against Kutztown (10-0-1) … Oswald was named PSAC Tournament MVP for the second time in her career (2007) … Kutztown’s goal in the second half is only the fourth surrendered by West Chester this season.
