The Lancaster Bible College women's soccer team's four-game win streak ended on Saturday at the Donald H. Funk Field, as the Chargers lost to Penn St. Harrisburg, 2-1. The Chargers are now 4-3 overall and 1-1 in North Eastern Athletic Conference play, while the Nittany Lions improved to 4-4 overall and 2-0 in conference action. Despite the loss, it was a positive day, as the Chargers and the Lancaster Bible community came to support the Bieber Family, as the team raised money for Andy Bieber and his family, as he battles stage IV brain cancer.
 
How it Happened: Penn St. Harrisburg had two early shots and two early corner kicks, but the Chargers maintained possession after that, and had three straight shots over the next eight-minute span. The teams began to split possession over the bulk of the first half, but as the opening frame wore on, Penn St. Harrisburg began to control play.
 
With just under four minutes to play in the opening half, Lancaster Bible turned the ball over, and Samantha Day was able to run down the left-hand side of the field and eventually worked the ball into the side of the box, and drilled a shot off the right post and into the back of the net to give the Nittany Lions a 1-0 lead at 41:18.
 
Penn St. Harrisburg led through halftime, but just two minutes into the second half, Lancaster Bible freshman Kara Huber took control of the ball on the Lancaster Bible side of the field, and sprinted past two Nittany Lion defenders. She was able to get to the top of the box, and hit the pause button as two defenders slid past her. Huber then chipped the ball over the goalkeeper and into the right-hand side of the net for one of the prettiest Lancaster Bible goals in recent memory.
 
With the game tied, Lancaster Bible seemed to pull off the gas pedal a bit, and Penn St. Harrisburg took full advantage just 1:59 later, as Kristen Stark gathered a rebound off a shot from Elizabeth Clippinger, and scored into an empty net to restore the Penn St. Harrisburg one-goal lead.
 
Lancaster Bible tried over the final 40 minutes to generate offense, but were stymied every time by the strong Nittany Lion defense.
 
Statistically Speaking: Penn St. Harrisburg outshot the Chargers, 21-7, including 10-4 in shots on goal…The Nittany Lions also had a 7-1 edge in corner kicks…Lancaster Bible goalkeeper Erin Mikula made eight saves in the loss, while Hannah Williams made three saves for the win…Huber's goal was her sixth of the season.
 
News & Notes: Saturday's game was a benefit game for the Bieber Family, as freshman Avery Bieber's dad Andy is battling brain cancer…The Bieber Family took part in the pre-game festivities, including the coin toss, and walking the teams out onto the field for introductions…Penn St. Harrisburg now leads the all-time series, 7-6, and the Chargers have lost five straight to the Nittany Lions…The last time the Chargers defeated Penn St. Harrisburg was Nov. 3, 2012, when Lancaster Bible won , 3-0 in the NEAC Semifinals.
 
The Coach Says: "It was awesome to see the Lancaster Bible community come together and support the Bieber family today," Lancaster Bible Head Coach Ally Long said. "We always say we are a family, and today it was great to see that in action. It's obviously not the result we wanted on the field today, but we will continue to support one another not only off the field, but on the field as well. We will take this loss and get better."


 
Up Next: Lancaster Bible is on the road on Monday night, as the Chargers face Wesley at 7 p.m. in Dover, Del.