The Shepherd University Women’s Soccer team (16-1-4) defeated the Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Golden Bears 3-2 on Sunday to win the 2024 PSAC Championship in Erie, Pennsylvania, making them the first sports team in the university’s history to win the conference and reach the NCAA DII Women’s Soccer Tournament.
“Winning the PSAC is a testament to all the hard work and dedication we have put in this season. I’m so proud of this team and the work we have put in to get here,” Co-Captain and Senior Midfielder Sarah Peternel said.
Peternel scored twice, first an unassisted goal at the 18th minute and the winning goal at the 81st minute, assisted by Sophomore Midfielder Annabelle Wunderlic. The Lady Rams’ winning goal was scored right after Junior Midfielder Josie Beezel’s unassisted goal at the 80th minute, making the Golden Bears, who were leading 2-1 only two minutes prior, to muster an unsuccessful comeback.
The Lady Rams tried for years to make it to the top in the PSAC. Co-Captain and Senior Midfielder Delaney Bittner explained how she yearned to win the PSAC championship since she got to Shepherd.
“It’s been the dream since freshman year, and to actually see it come to life makes me proud beyond words,” Bittner said.
The Lady Rams stacked up 16 wins, four ties, and only one loss to become champions of the conference tournament. The final on Sunday was their ninth consecutive win, their previous being a tough back-and-forth fight for goals.
“We had a tough semi-final match against Slippery Rock, where we actually fell behind three times and ended up winning 5-4,” Head Women’s Soccer Coach Sam Odell said.
Despite the setbacks on the pitch, Odell applauds his team for making history, despite the bumpy path they took.
“We certainly didn’t do it the easy way, but the girls showed loads of resilience, and we were the better team in both games,” Odell said.
The applause also came from within the team itself.
“We knew we weren’t coming home without something to show all our hard work through this season,” Bittner explained. “Everything we have this season is because our whole team earned it.”
Being champions of the conference, the Lady Rams continue their season on in the NCAA Tournament as the “#1 seed in the Atlantic Region,” according to Women’s Soccer Graduate Assistant Patrick Grey.
They play against the West Virginia State University Yellow Jackets for the second round of the tournament on Sunday at the Shepherd Soccer Complex, as they had a bye in the first round, according to Grey.
“We’re still hoping to keep going and make some more history,” Grey said.
Tickets for the Sunday home game are available for purchase.
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