Box Score
| Shaun Banta finished the year with 17 goals, including one in the Lions' 3-2 loss to American |
COLLEGE PARK, Md. November 12, 2005 - Penn State had two penalty corners with no time left on the clock, but could not convert the storybook ending, falling to American University in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday, 3-2. The Nittany Lions finish their record-setting year with a 17-4 mark.
After the Lions' Natalie Berrena (State College, Pa.) scored in the 20th minute to put Penn State up, 1-0, American scored three unanswered goals to go up, 3-1 with just under 15 minute to play. Penn State rallied, however, and Shaun Banta (Gibbsboro, N.J.) rebounded a saved shot attempt to close the gap to 3-2 in the 67th minute. The Lions furiously attacked the goal, and with time winding down, were awarded a corner with zero seconds on the clock. Penn State's first shot was deflected, but the officials called for one more corner. Kiersten Wood's (Lititz, Pa.) final shot was saved, however, and the Eagles escaped with the win.
American will face overall No. 1 seed Maryland on Sunday at 2 p.m. for a chance to advance to the Final Four.
American out-shot Penn State, 11-3, in the first half, but it was Penn State who struck first. Berrena gave the Lions the 1-0 lead when she slapped a hard shot from the left side that skidded past American goalkeeper Allison Fayfich. It was the Lions' only goal in the period as American answered with two more before the break. First, Maggie Hall connected in the 25th minute off a free pass from Denise Infante to tie the game at one goal apiece. Just over six minutes later officials awarded the Eagles a penalty stroke, which Camila Infante slapped just beyond the reach of Penn State goalkeeper Megan Akstin (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) to put American up, 2-1.
Akstin tallied seven saves in the game, while Fayfich finished with three. For the contest, Penn State had 12 shots to American's 15. The Lions had a 6-5 edge on penalty corners.
In the second half Javiera Villagra took another pass from C. Infante on a penalty corner play in the 46th minute to push the lead to 3-1. Shortly thereafter, Penn State was dealt another blow when officials assessed forward Annelise Legel (Morgantown, Pa.) a yellow card at the 47:36 mark. Penn State played shorthanded for over seven minutes.
It was a disappointing end to an otherwise memorable year. The Lions won a program-record 17-straight games this season en route to their fourth Big Ten title. The team went a perfect 10-0 at home at brand-new Astroturf Field, and head coach Char Morett won her 300th game at the University on Sept. 14 with a 5-0 win over Temple.
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