BOX SCORE

Elizabethtown, Pa. (Nov. 6, 2013) - Alvernia University freshman Tyler Arnold (Myerstown, Pa./ELCO) scored his first career goal in the second half to tie the score at 1-1 then after two scoreless overtimes, #2 Elizabethtown College (10-6-3) converted each of its first three penalty kicks to advance to the Commonwealth Conference Men's Soccer Championship, 3-0 in penalty kicks, Wednesday evening at Ira R. Herr Field.

The Blue Jays will host #4 Lycoming College, a suprise winner over top-seeded Messiah College also in penalty kicks, in Saturday's final.

Elizabethtown scored the first goal of the game in the 27th minute on a fortunate bounce.  Alvernia keeper David Giannini (Harleysville, Pa./Faith Christian) scampered to his right to scoop a cross off the end line, but it slipped out of his hands and right to Andrew Sandridge who made one touch and burried it in the open net.

Etown applied more pressure right off the restart with Giannini making the second of his two first-half saves to keep the Crusaders down just a goal.  Junior midfielder R.J. Fisher (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic) had a crack for the Crusaders in the 37th minute, but it was wide left and Josh Wollaston (Middletown, Del./Caravel Academy) had an attempt blocked a minute later.

The Crusaders kept the pressure going early in the second half earning a pair of corner kicks in the first four minutes.  Etown keeper Rodrigo Barrera saved away a header from Tyler Reinoehl (Sinking Spring, Pa./Wilson) on the first corner and swatted down the second one as well, but Arnold was right there to bury the rebound into an open net.

The Crusaders forced two more corner kicks in the final 15 minutes of regulation, but couldn't put a shot on net.  Wollaston had a shot go wide with eight minutes to play and Alex Martyn (Media, Pa./Penncrest) had a decent look on a pass from Wollaston with two to play, but his volley went high.

Both teams were wide of the mark on a shot apiece in each of the extra periods and Etown had a final attempt blocked after earning a free kick in the final minute of play.

The Jays were first up in the shootout and converted before Martyn had a shot saved by Barrera.  Etown's second shooter Eric Borkowicz scored to put the Jays up 2-0 in the shootout and Wollaston's effort was wide of the mark.  Etown scored on its third kick and Barrera knocked away Fisher's shot to send Etown to Saturday's final.

Giannini was credited with four saves on the night and Barrera finished with three.

#2 Elizabethtown 1, #3 Alvernia 1 (Etown 3-0 in PKs)