PSU-Behrend Box Score

Allegheny Box Score

ERIE, Pa. – The Otterbein University women’s soccer team kicked off its season with a split at the Penn St.-Behrend Tournament, topping the host school 3-1 before falling 1-0 to Allegheny on day two.

The Cardinals jumped ahead early against Behrend on day one, getting a goal from freshman Megan McCabe in the fifth minute of action.

Junior Amana Case, a transfer form Tiffin University, then scored her first Otterbein goal in the middle of the first half as the Cards took a 2-0 lead into intermission.

Penn St.-Behrend cut the deficit in half with a goal from Valerie Wagner at the 81:31 mark, but Otterbein would leave little doubt in the outcome as sophomore defender Melinda Stemen added a late insurance goal with a shot over the PSU goalie’s head.

Otterbein held a 14-3 shot advantage and took all eight of the game’s corner kicks.

Sophomore Melissa Zang played the opening 45 minutes in net for Otterbein before freshman Dana Strimbu came on for the second period.

Day two saw Otterbein and Allegheny play a scoreless opening half, but unfortunately, the Gators vaulted ahead 1-0 with an Alison Buzzard goal as the Cardinal defense was attempting to clear the ball.

Otterbein was unable to attempt a shot as the half progressed en route to the defeat.

Allegheny finished with a 10-2 advantage on shots while also holding a 5-3 edge for corner kicks. Strimbu and Zang split time in net again for the Tan and Cardinal, with Strimbu earning the start this time.

Kylie Mason was forced to stop just one shot for Allegheny and Zang tallied all four of Otterbein’s saves in the second stanza.

The Cardinals return to action on Wednesday, returning home to host Hiram at 5 p.m. in the home opener.