BOX SCORE

Reading, Pa. (Nov. 2, 2006) – Senior forward Moss Grande (Sinking Spring, PA/Wilson) drove home a left-footed shot to send second-seeded Alvernia College to its first Pennsylvania Athletic Conference Championship with a 6-5 decision in penalty kicks over #3 Eastern University Thursday afternoon at Albright College’s Shirk Stadium.

            After 110 minutes of scoreless soccer that featured spectacular saves by both goalies, the first four shooters for both teams found the back of the net in the shootout sessions.  Alvernia keeper Richard Kessler (Reading, PA/Reading) dove to his right to deny Eastern’s fifth shooter, sophomore Mike Dorsch (Wilmington, DE/Wilmington Christian) setting up senior Zach Naylon (Shillington, PA/Governor Mifflin) with a chance to win the shootout, but Eastern junior Noah Bartlett (Sewell, NJ/Washington Twp.) kept the Eagles in the match with a diving stop to his right.

            Eastern junior Aaron Tritch (Watsontown, PA/Meadowbrook Christian) missed the net as the first extra shooter, but Alvernia senior Greg Allegra (Philadelphia, PA/Archbishop Ryan) did the same to continue the shootout.  Eastern’s Alex Clark (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua Acad.) and Alvernia’s Mike Allegra (Philadelphia, PA/Archbishop Ryan) both converted, and after Jason Monte (Perkasie, PA/Christopher Dock) dinged one off the crossbar, Grande beat Bartlett igniting the Alvernia celebration.

            With the last two games in the series ending in tie scores, both teams felt each other out through the first 45 minutes of play.  Alvernia had perhaps the best scoring opportunity in the opening frame on a semi-scrum in front of Bartlett, but the junior keeper emerged with the ball and kept the game scoreless.  The Crusaders (10-4-4) held the slightest 2-1 edge in shots in the first half and each team had one corner kick.

            The offense was a bit more available over the second 45 minutes with Eastern (13-5-2) holding a 7-5 edge in shots in the second half.  Both teams had excellent scoring opportunities, but both keepers showed why they anchor a highly respected team in the Mid-Atlantic region.  Alvernia’s chance came on a set piece when Grande poked a free ball into play that Naylon ripped past the right edge of the defensive wall.  Diving to his left, Bartlett redirected the cutting shot past the far post to deny the effort.  Eastern’s best chance in the frame came later when Scott Patrick (Harrisburg, PA/Lower Dauphin) dribbled across the top of the box and ripped a left-footed shot against the grain toward the near post, but Kessler laid out to push the shot out of harm’s way.

            The first overtime period was similar to the first half with Eastern posting the only shots of the frame getting off a pair of efforts and earning one corner kick.  Kessler needed just one save to move the game to a second overtime and Bartlett was not tested in the first overtime.

            Much like the second period of regulation, the second overtime featured quality chances for both teams.  Kessler pushed a crack from Kieran Keelan (Broomall, PA/DELCO Christian) over the bar midway through the frame and Bartlett was up to the task on a dipping rip from Alvernia reserve David Schaeffer (Pottstown, PA/Pottstown).

            Alvernia and Eastern needed penalty kicks to solve their 2005 PAC Semifinal match-up with Eastern advancing to the final.  Alvernia returned the favor this season and will face top-seeded Arcadia University at 1:00 p.m. Saturday in Glenside.  Thursday’s semifinal was played at Albright due to poor field conditions at Alvernia following Wednesday night’s heavy rain.

#2 Alvernia 0, #3 Eastern 0 (Alvernia advances 6-5 in PKs)