Bilka Nets First Career Hat Trick In Victory

BUFFALO, NY – Alex Bilka (Cranberry Township, PA/Seneca Valley) recorded her first collegiate hat trick and scored the game winner 1:12 into the second overtime to lift the Penn State Behrend women's soccer team past Medaille 4-3 on Tuesday afternoon.

The Lions (8-6, 5-1 AMCC) clawed their way back from a 3-0 deficit after the first 45 minutes with three second-half goals to force their first overtime game this season. Jordan Oberlander (Waterford, PA/Fort LeBoeuf), who hit the crossbar in the first overtime, found Bilka for the game-winning goal in the 102^nd minute.

Candis Kapuscinski scored twice for the Mavericks (1-10-1, 1-4 AMCC), both coming five minutes apart late in the first half for a three-goal lead heading into halftime. Jaime Michalewski got Medaille on the board just seven minutes into the game.

The Mavericks almost took a 4-0 lead at the beginning of the second half after being awarded a penalty kick, but the ball was sent over the crossbar to keep it at a three-goal advantage.

Bilka started the scoring for Behrend in the 55^th minute. She netted the first two goals for the Lions on assists from Rachel Weyand (Butler, PA/Butler) and Megan Schwartz (Shaler, PA/Shaler) tallied the game-tying goal a minute after Bilka scored her second goal to make it 3-all in the 77^th minute.

The Lions had six shots in the final 10 minutes, looking for the game winner. Five of those shots were saved and one was blocked.

Oberlander had the last attempt in the first overtime with a shot that hit the mark, just not the back of the net. She kept that momentum going into the second overtime period and found Bilka for her 10^th goal of the season.

Alea Wade was impressive in the goal with 18 saves on the 31 shots Behrend blasted her way. Taylor Troyan (Butler, PA/Butler) earned her eighth win in goal and made two saves.

The Lions return to action on Saturday at Pitt-Greensburg. Game time is 3:15 p.m.