Three straight titles. History made again!
Penn State Schuylkill women’s soccer battled back from an early deficit to defeat Penn State Mont Alto 2-1 on Monday night at Panzer Stadium, capturing its third consecutive PSUAC championship. It is the third title in program history for the Lions, with all three coming in the last three seasons, beginning in 2024.
The game did not start the way Schuylkill had hoped. Mont Alto scored just 2:32 into the match when Cameron Dillow found the back of the net to give her team a 1-0 lead. But the Lions responded.
Head coach Kaylee Berkheiser said she was “incredibly proud of this team for everything they have overcome this season,” pointing to the injuries, position changes, and tough losses the group faced throughout the year. By Monday night, she said, the players had truly “come together as a unit” to bring another championship home to campus. She added, “I couldn’t be prouder.”
That response showed on the field. Schuylkill took control after the early goal, outshooting Mont Alto 16-2 in the first half. Madison Warnack delivered the equalizer at 36:49, scoring from the right wing to tie the game 1-1 heading into halftime.
Warnack said she was “extremely grateful and proud of what our team was able to accomplish this weekend,” especially given how much the Lions had overcome with injuries. She credited the team for continuing to “push through and show up for each other,” as well as the hard work and dedication everyone put in to finish the season this way. After scoring the equalizer, she said she was “excited to continue building on what this team has created.”
The Lions kept building in the second half. At 58:33, senior Jesenia Landaverde scored the game-winning goal unassisted, heading in a rebound off the crossbar from about eight yards out to give Schuylkill a 2-1 lead and send the bench into celebration.
“Back-to-back-to-back PSUAC champions!” Landaverde said. She called it an incredible way to close out the conference season and continue making history, describing a team that is “equally motivated, resilient, and passionate, constantly pushing and supporting one another.”
From there, Schuylkill held on to secure the victory. The Lions finished with a commanding 24-4 advantage in shots, put 12 shots on goal, and earned six corner kicks to Mont Alto’s one. Morgan Rank made two saves in the win, including a key stop on Kaylen Gracey in the 69th minute to protect the lead. Sarah Devilbiss kept Mont Alto in the game with 10 saves.
Schuylkill finished its championship run with an 8-8 overall record and a 5-1 mark in PSUAC play, following a 5-0 victory over Penn State Beaver in Sunday’s semifinal.
Landaverde also took a moment to thank her parents, her brother, Jose Landaverde, and her family for their “unconditional love and support throughout my soccer career.” She gave a special shoutout to her heavenly angels, who she said are “always alongside me on the field.” She ended with a fitting declaration: “Three-peat champions!”
And the season is not over. Penn State Schuylkill earned an at-large bid to the USCAA Division II Women’s Soccer National Championship as the No. 4 seed, keeping its championship run alive in Pittsburgh. The Lions are in Pool A with No. 1 Southwestern Adventist and No. 5 Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and will play at the Montour complex in Coraopolis on Saturday, Nov. 14, at 6:15 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 15, at 2:45 p.m.
From a press release
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