OT Thriller Sees Brandywine Win 4th Straight Women's Soccer Title

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Another year, another Penn State Brandywine women's soccer championship. But oh how they had to work for it. Number two seed Penn State Hazleton pushed the top seed to brink in 2019 and almost knocked off the defending champs. But Brandywine didn't panic and made an incredible comeback to win their fourth-straight PSUAC Championship, a 3-2 overtime thriller at the West Turf Fields on the University Park campus of Penn State.

Brianna Banks scored all three of Brandywine's goals, including the game winner just 87 seconds into overtime. She kicked off the scoring with an unassisted goal in the 33rd minute as Brandywine took a 1-0 lead into the half. Hazleton's strategy to pack in their defense and limit scoring opportunities for the conference's Player of the Year worked for much of the game, but showed in the final stats as Brandywine controlled the ball and outshot Hazleton 39-4, including 27 shots on goal. 

Roxxy DeCosta was incredible in goal for Hazleton, keeping them in the game while stopping 24 shots. DeCosta gave her team an opportunity to win, and Hazleton took advantage of a penalty in the box in the 64th minute. Madison Polumbo netted the ensuing penalty kick to tie the score at 1-1. Eighteen minutes later teammate Emma Wyllie broke the tie and put Hazleton less than 10 minutes away from a championship.

Banks had other ideas, scoring just two minutes later to knot the score at 2-2 with seven minutes to play. Then we headed to overtime, where Banks went unassisted to give Brandywine the PSUAC's automatic bid into the USCAA Division II Women's Soccer Championship. The tournament will be held Nov. 7-11 in Virginia Beach, Va.