By Kenny Varner

SPRING MILLS – On one single shot Monday, two teams would experience the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat all in one moment.

In a game that had a post season feel about it, the undefeated Penns Valley girls hosted the spunky group from Philipsburg-Osceola in soccer action.

The two played in an overtime period before a victor would be crowned.

It would be the Lady Mounties that would battle their way through surviving in a 4-3 thriller.

However, despite falling in their first game of the season, Penns Valley played a strong contest as well as they found themselves on the ropes trailing 3-2 in the final minutes before coming through in the clutch, tying it with 2:25 left.

With the game tied at three heading into the overtime. The ball went down into the the Philipsburg-Osceola end but goalie Kinley Bender scooped up a clutch ball. As the Mounties moved the ball down the field, they were able to get some clean looks at the goal. However, a save by Penns Valley goalie Avery Dinges stopped one shot and had two others bounce off the side pole and top horizon bar.

Thinking quickly, Lily Warlow was in the right place at the right time as she ended the game on a diagonal shot that just got past Dinges for the win.

The Warlow goal would solidify the second period comeback by the Lady Mounties who were able to slow down the pace of the game and work themselves in place to post three goals, taking the lead with 4:45 left.

Going into the stanza, Penns Valley had a 2-0 advantage.

Four minutes into the second, Warlow would get her team to within one and onto the scoreboard on an unassisted goal at 36:10.

Both teams’ defenses took center stage as each held there own fending off run after run at each other’s goal area.

With the clock dropping down to under 20 minutes left, the Mounties rallied and was able to push through the tying goal.

At 18:35 left, Philipsburg-Osceola’s Khendyl Sharrer knotted things at two.

The games intensity grew to a fever pitch as each team found themselves in fever pitch mode trying to get that go ahead goal.

After some close calls at both ends of the field, Philipsburg would put all the pressure on the Lady Rams.

But good teams have a way of battling back and that what Penns Valley did just that on a breakaway goal by Scotty Dinges with 2.25 left.

That would send send the game into the overtime.

In the first, Penns Valley used its high tempo offense to take a first half lead of 2-0.

Notching the Rams first goal of the day was on a free kick by Nikki Denger. Denger sent a rocket that hit nothing but net, putting the first points on the scoreboard.

Rounding out the scoring in the first half was Ceci Falls as she plastered a shot just out of the hands of Bender.

Penns Valley led in the shot department by a  23-11 Margin. They also led in corner opportunities by an 8-1 edge.

Penns Calley goalie Dinges tallied five saves while Bender collected a clutch 11 saves helping her team take home the victory.