READING, PA – The York College women's soccer squad opened their 2024 season with a 2-1 win at Penn State Berks on Friday evening in Reading.
The Spartans got a pair of first half goals and then saw their defense to suffocate the Lions in the second half as they held Berks to zero second half shots.
The Spartans are now 1-0 while the Lions fall to 0-1.
 
How It Happened
• The Spartans came flying out of the gate to start the game as they fired off three shots in the first five minutes of the game. Alyssa Russell almost scored in the 11^th minute but Lion goalie Sophia Gonzalez made the stop.
• Gonzalez wouldn't be as lucky three minutes later as Meg Kalthof picked up where she left off last year. In the 14^th minute, the Spartan sophomore forward collected a loose ball in the box and converted a shot that slotted into the upper 90 for the 1-0 Spartan lead.
• York made it 2-0 less than six minutes later Julianna Schilling rifled a cross into Russell who buried a one-touch shot from 15 yards out for her first goal of the year.
• The Lions got on the board in the 34^th minute as a scrum in front of the Spartan goal resulted in Berks being awarded a penalty kick. The Lions' Mary King converted the opportunity to slice the Spartan lead in half.
• York held an 11-4 margin in total shots and a 6-2 edge in shots on goal in the first half.
• The Spartan defense was outstanding in the second half as they hand cuffed the Lions, not surrendering a shot in the stanza. While the defense was doing their part, the offense peppered Gonzalez with 15 shots but the Lion goalie recorded four saves to keep Berk's deficit at one.
• York finished the game holding a 26-4 edge in shots and a 10-2 margin in shots on goal. York held a 7-1 advantage in corner kicks. Joss Metz and Madison O'Brien split the duties in goal for York as they each played 45 minutes in the match.
 
Notes
The Spartans improve to 1-0-1 all-time against PSU Berks … the last meeting between the two teams came on October 9, 2022 when they tied 2-2 in Reading … the win in the season opener snaps a six-match losing streak in lid lifters … sophomore Meg Kalthof picked up where she left off last year as she recorded her 12^th career goal in her 21^st career game … Kalthof has scored goals in each of her last three games and has scored at least one goal in seven of her last eight games … the goal for senior Alyssa Russell is her ninth career tally as a Spartan and her third career game-winning goal … York had a trio of first year Spartans draw a start in their first collegiate contest as Gabby Jennings, Alexys Savage, and Joss Metz were part of the opening 11 … Carly Vincent, Lexi Mazzella, Hailey Myers, Brooklynn Myers, Mia Mervis, Natalie Danner, Sara Lehman and Holly Krieg all made their Spartan debuts in the match.
 
Up Next
The Spartans remain on the road on Sunday as they head to Ithaca, N.Y. to face the Bombers in a non-conference contest. The game will just be the second meeting between the two programs after Ithaca earned a 1-0 win in York last year. The match is slated for a 1:00 pm start.