UNIVERSITY PARK, PENNSYLVANIA — #8 Penn St. defeated Army West Point 3-0 on Saturday in the NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship before 676 spectators at Jeffrey Field. The Nittany Lions controlled the match with superior possession and finishing, securing three goals across both halves to advance their tournament campaign.
Kaitlyn MacBean opened scoring in the 8th minute, assisted by Riley Gleason and Hannah Jordan, giving Penn St. an early advantage. Amelia White doubled the lead in the 18th minute with a finish set up by Gleason, establishing a commanding two-goal cushion before halftime. The Nittany Lions' early aggression proved decisive, as Army West Point struggled to generate offensive opportunities throughout the opening 45 minutes.
Dikte Bang sealed the victory in the 75th minute, assisted by Amelia White and Julia Raich, extending Penn St.'s lead to three goals. The Black Knights mounted minimal resistance in the second half despite multiple substitutions, unable to break through a disciplined Penn St. defense that limited Army West Point's attacking chances.
Penn St. dominated the shot count with 21 attempts compared to Army West Point's nine, converting three of nine shots on goal. The Nittany Lions' goalkeeper made three saves while Army West Point's keeper recorded six stops in a losing effort. Penn St. also controlled set pieces with three corner kicks to Army West Point's six, though the visitors' advantage in corners failed to translate into scoring opportunities.
The victory marked Penn St.'s second consecutive win following a 2-0 triumph over Ohio State on October 26. Army West Point, which entered the match riding a two-game winning streak in the Patriot League Championship, saw its tournament hopes end with the decisive loss. The Black Knights had defeated #2 Colgate and #1 Boston University in recent contests before encountering the higher-seeded Nittany Lions.
Penn St.'s attacking depth proved too much for Army West Point to contain. The Nittany Lions cycled through multiple attacking combinations, with MacBean, White, and Bang all finding the back of the net. Army West Point's defense, which had been solid in conference play, could not adjust to Penn St.'s pace and precision in the final third.
The match demonstrated Penn St.'s tournament readiness as the program seeks to advance deeper into the NCAA bracket and now will pley the #1 ranked Virginia. The Nittany Lions' ability to score early and maintain control throughout the 90 minutes showcased the consistency required at this level of competition. Army West Point's season concluded with a 14-6-2 record, having exceeded expectations in the Patriot League before facing a nationally-ranked opponent.