Box Score MIDDLETOWN, PA – The York College women's soccer team picked up a critical 4-3 Capital Athletic Conference victory at Penn State Harrisburg on Wednesday afternoon in Middletown.
The Spartans improve to 5-9 overall and 3-4 in the conference. The Lions fall to 5-8-1 overall and 3-4 on the league with the loss.
The Spartans opened the scoring in the 15th minute as sophomore Maxine Herman (Dover, Pa./Dover) netted her second goal of the year, an unassisted tally that put the Green and White up 1-0.
The Lions responded just over four minutes later as Fan Ansary scored off an Erica Hile feed, tying the score at one 18:26 into the game.
The Spartans answered right back 1:28 later as freshman Baylee DiPietro (Stevenson, Md./Kent Island) tallied her first collegiate goal, giving York the 2-1 lead. In the game of back-and-forth, Kristen Stark tied the game at two with her seventh goal of the year off a Kristin Peckman helper at the 29:15 mark of the first half.
The Spartans finished the first half with an 8-5 advantage in shots while they also held a 3-0 margin in corner kicks.
The Lions took a 3-2 lead in the 61st minute when Stark struck again as Hile picked up her second assist of the game.
That's when Spartan freshman Alyssa Rankin (Joppa, Md./Edgewood) took over. The Spartan midfielder notched an unassisted goal in the 70th minute to tie the game for the Green and White. She then recorded the game-winner in the 82nd minute off a pass from sophomore Emily Birsa (Chalfont, Pa./Central Bucks South). The goals were Rankin's second and third goals of the campaign and the game-winner was her first career game deciding tally.
The Spartan defense stood strong over the final 7:16, as they did not allow the Lions a shot at tying the game.
York finished the game holding a commanding 19-9 margin in total shots and a 14-7 advantage in shots on goal. The Spartans notched a 5-1 margin in corner kicks.
Senior Kate Lutte (Catasauqua, Pa./Catasauqua) picked up the win as she recorded four saves in her 90 minutes of work. Samantha Kutcher kept the Lions in the game with 10 saves while she allowed four goals in her 90 minutes of play.
The Spartans return home on Saturday afternoon when they host Southern Virginia in a Capital Athletic Conference match. Game time is set for 12:30 pm at Graham Field. The contest will be preceded by York's 2015 senior day ceremony, which will start at 12:20.
Alyssa Rankin photo courtesy of Joe Rodgers - Five Star Media
