Big Ten Network : Men's Soccer Top Stories

Fall championships to air on Big Ten Network

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:25:00 +0000

Fall championships to air on Big Ten Network

OSU tops Michigan, takes Big Ten crown

Sat, 7 Nov 2009 21:35:00 +0000

COLUMBUS, Ohio – David Tiemstra scored in the 45th minute of action and the Ohio State men's soccer team held on for a 1-0 win over Michigan and the Big Ten Championship Saturday night at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium in front of season-high 1,081 fans. With their first outright regular-season title in program history, the Buckeyes (10-4-4, 4-2-0 Big Ten) earn the No. 1 seed in the Big Ten Tournament next week in Bloomington, Ind., and will face the winner of the No. 4 vs. No. 5 seed game. "The effort of our team tonight was tremendous," head coach John Bluem said. "The organization and the timely goal by David Tiemstra were just fantastic. I am just real proud of the guys; they have never given up this year, even though we have kind of had a roller coaster type of season." Tiemstra's goal, his first of the season, came with two seconds remaining in the first half off a corner kick by Eric Shrigley. Shrigley played the ball from the left corner across the goal box where Chris Gomez kept it from going out of bounds by flicking it out to Tiemstra at the top of the goal box. The sophomore from Clarendon Hills, Ill., then shot it over the head of Michigan (10-6-1, 2-4-0) goalkeeper Chris Blais and into the upper left corner of the net. "I still have the chills," Tiemstra said after the game. "The rest of the game I just had the chills. When you don't have a lot of energy left at the end of the game, that just kept me … I mean, it's unbelievable. The goal came on the Buckeyes' eighth shot of the half after nearly 45 minutes of bombarding the Wolverine defense. From the opening whistle, Ohio State controlled play offensively and made several solid runs but sent all seven of the ensuing shots wide. More pressure came in the second period as Ohio State produced nine shots and continued to push forward on the attack. Michigan fought back, however, and came up with several close opportunities from the likes of Mauro Fuzetti and Justin Heram that were squelched by the Buckeye defense and redshirt freshman goalkeeper Matt Lampson. Lampson, a native of nearby Hilliard, Ohio, strengthened his bid for Big Ten Freshman of the Year by finishing the night with a career-high eight saves, including five in the second half, and three in the final 10 minutes alone, against Michigan's 10 second-half shots. After the all-around team effort, the magnitude of the win was not lost on anyone. "I am pretty speechless," junior captain Matt Gold said. "I think I almost broke down in tears the last 30 seconds. Like I started hyperventilating. I have never experienced that before. It's just a sweet, sweet feeling." The Buckeyes took home a share of the 2004 Big Ten title and won the tournament in 2000 and 2007. They will begin play for their third tourney title Friday in the conference semifinals. Stay tuned to OhioStateBuckeyes.com for more information.

NU wraps up second place with win over MSU

Sat, 7 Nov 2009 21:27:00 +0000

EVANSTON, Ill. - Junior forward Matt Eliason's 13th goal of the season just over five minutes in the match held up as No. 17 Northwestern concluded its regular season Saturday with a 1-0 win over Michigan State at Lakeside Field. The victory allowed the Wildcats to finish their Big Ten season with a 3-2-1 record, good for a second-place tie with Penn State. Entering the day, NU had an opportunity to win a share of the conference title if Ohio State were to lose or tie Michigan. However, the Buckeyes earned a 1-0 victory to claim the outright title and the No. 1 seed for next week's Big Ten tournament. Northwestern (10-3-4, 3-2-1) will be seeded third for the tourney and will face off again against the sixth-seeded Spartans (10-6-2, 2-4-0) in Thursday's opening round. As he has done all year, Eliason provided the heroics. On Senior Night, redshirt junior Kevin Valenta fed a ball through the box to Eliason who found himself one-on-one with Jeremy Clark and beat him for the score. It was Eliason's 30th goal of his career, tying him with Jonathan Hall (1986-89) for the school's all-time lead. The Wildcats would finish the opening half of play with an 8-3 advantage in shots. Michigan State came out t he aggressor following the intermission and controlled possession, but Northwestern was able to prevent the visitors from earning any quality scoring chances. The Spartans' closest call came in the final 30 seconds of as Cyrus Saydee fired a shot on goal, but a Wildcat defender was in the right place at the right time to make the stop and preserve the win. NU finished with a 13-9 edge in shots, while MSU had a 9-5 advantage in corner kicks. Misha Rosenthal made two saves to earn his sixth shutout of the season and the 29th of his career.

Gophers blank Hoosiers, 1-0

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 23:49:00 +0000

St. Paul, Minn. - In what could have been the final game of the season tonight (Nov. 6), the Minnesota soccer team made a strong case for it not to be, beating visiting Indiana 1-0. Minnesota (12-5-3, 5-3-2) came into the game needing a win to strengthen their NCAA Tournament resume before the selections are made Monday evening. Indiana (10-7-2, 2-6-2), meanwhile, need a win to snap a three-game skid that saw them fall below .500 in conference play. The Gopher offense created chances all night, but quality opportunities were often stopped by a right-place-right-time Indiana defense. Shots were even at the end of a scoreless first half, with just four per side. Minnesota had the only shot on goal in the first 45:00 minutes while their defense kept goalkeeper Cat Parkhill (Apple Valley, Minn.) without facing a shot on net. "I thought their mentality was fantastic," head coach Mikki Denney Wright said about her offense after the game. "Our two attacking mids and all of our forwards were so mobile and created so many chances, it was a fun game." The Gopher attack ramped up toward the end of the first half and carried into the second where Minnesota held a 6-to-2 edge on shots for a 10-to-6 margin in the game. The lone goal and game-winner came late in the second half on a play set up by the ever attacking Gopher offense. As they had most of the half, the Gophers controlled the ball deep in the Hoosier zone, forcing the ball out the backline to earn a corner kick. In controlling the half, the Gophers took six total corners compared to none for the Hoosiers and held a 9-to-2 advantage on corners in the contest. As she has been all year, Katie Bethke (Eau Claire, Wis.) was called upon to take the kick and unleashed a beauty towards the waiting Minnesota offense. At the front was Molly Rouse (Cambridge, Minn.) who took the ball off a bounce, turned and fired a shot near post that was too much for the Indiana keeper to catch up with. "Molly scored, she's clutch, she scored the game-winner, she deserved it," Denney Wright said. "I'm just really proud of our team, our ability to kill the game, and what a great win for our program." After nearly 80 minutes of battling, the Gophers had finally broken though, calling on their top two scorers to do so. The goal by Rouse was her fifth of the season, setting a new single season career high for the junior. It was also her third game-winner on the season, also setting a career high and tying Bethke for the team lead. The assist was a team leading seventh on the season for Bethke and moves her into an eighth place tie with Alison Rackley on the Gophers' career assist list with 19. The win assures Minnesota of at least a share of fourth place in the final Big Ten standings. Their 5-3-2 mark in Big Ten games makes 2008 and 2009 the first seasons of back-to-back winning records in conference games since the 1998 and 1999 season. On a night set to honor their seniors, the Gophers did so in the best way possible, with a victory. In a season full of memories another has been added, but the possibility for more remains. Seniors Sara Clancy (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) and Dana Tripp (White Bear Lake, Minn.) will anxiously await the NCAA Tournament selections with the rest of their team, as the 64-team field is announced Monday (Nov. 9) evening. "Dana and Sara have meant the world to our program, have been great people and great players," Denney Wright said. "And we had to send them out right."

Hoosiers men edge Penn State, 2-1

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 18:09:00 +0000

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Penn State men's soccer team (10-6-2, 3-2-1 Big Ten) lost the ability to control its own destiny in the race for the Big Ten regular season title and fell short in its bid to directly secure the No. 1 seed in next week's conference tournament with a 2-1 setback to Indiana (9-8-1, 3-3-0 Big Ten) on Friday afternoon in Bloomington. The Nittany Lions' fortunes for a Big Ten regular season championship now rely on the outcome of two games that will be played on Saturday. In order for Penn State to claim its first conference crown since 2005 and the top seed in the Big Ten Championship, the Lions will need Michigan to defeat second-place Ohio State in Columbus and for Michigan State to down or tie third-place Northwestern in Evanston. Regardless of those results, Penn State can do no worse than the No. 3 seed for the Big Ten Championship. Junior midfielder Matheus Braga (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) accounted for Penn State's lone score, netting his seventh goal of the season. Sophomore forward Corey Hertzog (Reading, Pa.) recorded his team-high sixth assist of the year on the play. Penn State was outshot for just the fifth time this season, 16-11. Braga and senior forward Jason Yeisley (Allentown, Pa.) led the Lions with three shots each. After an evenly played outset to the first half, Penn State drew first blood in the 20th minute. Possessing the ball 10 yards out near the middle of the field, Corey Hertzog flicked a pass to Matheus Braga, who was on a run from behind. Braga received and then rifled a shot from eight yards out that found the lower right of the net. Indiana answered back in the 39th minute. After Penn State goalkeeper Warren Gross (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) deflected wide a shot by IU forward Will Bruin, the Hoosiers would even the game on the ensuing corner kick. Bruin sent his kick far post and found the foot of Lee Hagedorn who punched it in past a diving Gross. The Hoosiers put the game away just 40 seconds into the second half. Off a long combination of passes from two IU players, the ball found Danny Kelly at the top of box. Gross had come off his line aggressively to intercept the ball but missed and Kelly got around his mark and chipped a shot into net from eight yards out. Penn State had a chance to get back in it when Indiana defender Tommy Meyer was issued a red card in the 66th minute, forcing the Hoosiers to play down a man for the final 34-plus minutes. However, the Nittany Lions couldn't capitalize on the advantage and net an equalizer. Next week, the Nittany Lions will begin pursuit of their fourth conference crown when they return to Bloomington, Ind. for the 2009 Big Ten Men's Soccer Championship. To be hosted by Indiana University, the battle for the 2009 title is set to begin on Thurs., Nov. 12 with three first round match-ups. Semifinal games will take place on Fri., Nov. 13 with the championship contest set for Sun., Nov. 15. All games will be played at Jerry Yeagley Field at Bill Armstrong Stadium on the IU campus. Game times and match-ups will be determined once seeding is established upon the conclusion of regular season competition. The semifinals and finals will air live on the Big Ten Network. Penn State possesses a 22-12-4 record in Big Ten Championship play, one of just two conference teams to possess a winning mark in the postseason tournament.

Delgado lifts Badgers to 1-0 win

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 23:04:00 +0000

MILWAUKEE, Wis. -- For Pablo Delgado and the Wisconsin men's soccer team, it wasn't a matter of if, but when. The Badgers managed 13 shots in the second half of their in-state rivalry battle with Milwaukee, but it took all 13 of those chances for UW to secure a 1-0 win over the Panthers in their regular-season finale at Engelmann Field. Wisconsin dominated the run of play over the match's final 25 minutes, but it wasn't until the 89th minute and a score by senior Pablo Delgado that the Badgers secured the victory. Delgado took a ball from Bryan Gerster at the near post and slotted a shot home to the far post from 12 yards out for the game-winner. ""We wanted to get it done,"" said Delgado, who scored his first goal of the season. ""We were creating chances and had to keep pushing, because we knew it would come sooner or later and we were confident. ""It worked out pretty well."" After a rather sluggish first half on the offensive end, the Badgers (7-8-2 overall) came out of intermission with a more organized and consistent attack. Wisconsin put five shots on goal in the second half, including two great looks by Gerster in the minutes leading up to his assist on Delgado's score. In rapid succession, he launched in a shot that UWM keeper John Shakon hauled in at the far post and then laid a low ball into the near post on which Shakon made an outstanding diving save. ""We were starting to build up finally and I just kept playing and things started going my way,"" Gerster said. ""Everything felt like it was on frame for me, and Pablo finally finished it off when I didn't."" The Badgers out-shot Milwaukee by a 13-3 margin in the second half, with the Panthers not recording their first – and only – shot-on-goal of the match until the 79th minute. ""It was an exciting game that had some flows both ways, but I felt overall that our team defense was really solid,"" UW head coach Todd Yeagley said. ""Milwaukee has some dangerous players and it showed tonight, but I liked the way we played in the second half and especially the last 25 minutes."" Gerster and Delgado proved to be the game-changers for the Badgers, and both came off the bench to make their contributions. Together, they combined for eight shots – including three on frame – while playing a combined 75 minutes. ""It's been a long year for me with injuries and everything, so it feels good to be back and help the team win,"" said Delgado, who has missed five games due to injury. ""I was very happy for Pablo, who hasn't played as much this year as he'd like,"" Yeagley said. ""He gave us a lot. We said before the game that everyone needed to be ready, and Pablo really stepped up to fill the role we asked him to fill."" Yeagley used only three reserves, with freshman Ata Ozbay also seeing time, but those that came off the bench provided more than just minutes in relief. ""The timing was good,"" Yeagley said. ""That combo of Bryan and Pablo really gave us the ability to get Scott (Lorenz) and Brandon (Miller) more involved up front in the second half. ""It was great for both of them to contribute in such a big way. Bryan and Pablo really were the difference for us tonight."" Miller and Lorenz tallied four shots apiece, including a pair of good looks Miller converted into shots-on-goal. Lorenz also had a shot on frame in the first half, one of just two the Badgers put on goal in the opening period. Both teams managed five shots in the first half, but neither had any quality chances until the second half, when the Badgers turned up the intensity. ""We were more relaxed out there in the second half, and there was better communication,"" Gerster said. ""It's big finishing the regular season on a win to get some momentum going like we had in the middle of the year."" The Badgers will look to ride that momentum into next week's Big Ten tournament, which is set for Nov. 12-15 at Armstrong Stadium in Bloomington, Ind. Wisconsin is likely to be seeded third, fourth or fifth for the tournament, with the result of this weekend's final regular-season conference matchups determining the final seeding. ""Now we know what we have to do in the tournament,"" Gerster said. ""With everyone contributing like we did tonight, I feel like we're a threat to win it.""

Late penalty kick dooms MSU vs. No. 1 Akron

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 21:29:00 +0000

AKRON, Ohio - The Michigan State men's soccer team played the No. 1 Akron Zips even through nearly 75 minutes on Wednesday evening. However, with the score tied at one with 15 minutes left in the second half, a Spartan foul inside the penalty area gave the Zips a penalty-kick goal and a 2-1 win. MSU is now 10-5-2 on the year, while Akron remains undefeated at 17-0. "The guys played great tonight," said MSU coach Damon Rensing. "It was a great college soccer game and it's unfortunate that the winning goal came on a penalty kick. We stuck to our game plan and Akron is very good, well organized team. All-in-all, we played the top team in the country very well." The Zips didn't take long to get going, as less than four minutes in, Akron's Teal Burnbury scored on a chip shot from 20 yards out for a 1-0 lead. As the two teams settled in, the each traded scoring chances. Akron held a slight, 5-4, shot advantage after the goal until the 39th minute when Spencer Thompson set up Tim Granaderos to tie the game for MSU. Thompson's cross from the left side found Granaderos who buried the ball in the back of the net from eight yards out and gave the Spartans a big lift heading into halftime. The two teams played evenly through the first 30 minutes of the second half, until the turning point in the 75th minute when a yellow card was issued to the Spartans' Nosa Iyoha for a foul inside the penalty area - leading to a Zips' penalty kick. Akron's Blair Gavin converted the PK, giving the Zips the lead for good. "We created a few more chances in the first half," Rensing said. "I thought our backs were very good, the midfield played great and Jeff Ricondo and Rubin Bega were very good up top. We just missed on a couple finishing passes."

Schmitt, Michigan top Northwestern in 2OT

Sun, 1 Nov 2009 17:50:00 +0000

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Senior/junior forward Matt Schmitt (Muskegon, Mich./Reeths-Puffer) scored the "golden" goal in the 102nd minute of action to send the University of Michigan men's soccer team to a 1-0 double overtime victory over No. 12 Northwestern on Sunday at the U-M Soccer Complex. Schmitt, who scored his second goal in as many games, was in the right place at the right time for the game winner. On the previous possession, the Wolverines had back-to-back blocked shots from junior forward Justin Meram (Shelby Township, Mich./Yavapai College), one of those shots deflected off of the goalpost onto Schmitt's foot, who put it just past Northwestern's Misha Rosenthal to give U-M head coach Steve Burn's his 100th career victory and the 100th program victory. Junior/sophomore midfielder Adam Shaw (Lone Tree, Colo./Highlands Ranch) and senior forward Mauro Fuzetti (Houston, Texas/Stratford) led the way for the Wolverines with four shots each. Junior/sophomore goalkeeper Chris Blais (Seattle, Wash./Kennedy Memorial) made four saves on the afternoon and earned his sixth shutout of the season. The Wolverines were knocking on the door throughout the second half and both overtime periods and it looked like U-M was going to get the victory in regulation with a goal from Meram in the final seconds. Meram put a shot just past Rosenthal but it was called back with a handball call from the referee. Northwestern also had two quality opportunities in the second half to get on the board. The first was a shot from Drew Pavlovich that hit the post and rolled out of bounds and the second was a header on a corner kick from Piero Bellizzi that went just over the crossbar. The teams entered the second half deadlocked at 0-0 after a first half that was a typical Big Ten slugfest. U-M and Northwestern put on a battle with both teams playing an evenly matched game on both sides of the ball. Neither team registered a shot on goal until the 25th minute of the half when Michigan freshman defender Brian Klemczak (Livonia, Mich./Stevenson) hit a shot from the right side that was scooped up by Rosenthal. From that point the teams seemed to battle back on forth on both sides of the ball but the Wolverines seemed to have the upper hand in terms of possession and registered several shots on goal. Northwestern's Oliver Kupe looked like he was going to give the Wildcats the early 1-0 lead after breaking through the U-M defense but Blais made a point blank save, one of his four of the game, to keep the game knotted at 0-0. The Wolverines were able to control the midfield in the first half. Junior midfielder Alex Wood (Northville, Mich./Northville), getting his first start of the season, was able to serve several spectacular long balls through the midfield and Shaw really proved to be U-M's workhorse battling for each and every ball that came his way. The Wolverines close out the 2009 regular-season on Saturday (Nov. 7) when they travel to Columbus, Ohio to take on Ohio State in a televised. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. in Jesse Owen Memorial Stadium.

Late goal propels Ohio St. over Indiana

Sun, 1 Nov 2009 16:59:00 +0000

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Eric Shrigley scored in the 93rd minute to give the Ohio State men's soccer team a 1-0 win over Indiana on Yeagley Field at Armstrong Stadium on Sunday afternoon in front of 1,338 fans. The win keeps the Buckeyes in the hunt for the Big Ten championship with a 9-4-4 overall record and a 3-2-0 mark in the conference. The Hoosiers drop to 8-8-1 overall and 2-3-0 in the Big Ten, effectively ending any chance for the conference crown. Shrigley's goal, his second game-winner this season, gave Ohio State its first victory over Indiana since the 2000 season and only the third in the history of the programs. The Buckeyes previously defeated Indiana during the 1955 season before the Big Ten Tournament win in 2000. "I am over the moon right now," John Bluem, Ohio State head coach, said. "I thought today was a great all-around effort and team win. There were not a lot of opportunities on either side, but I thought the defense really kept us in the game - Matt Lampson was solid in goal - and we just never gave up. "Taking a cue from a great program, the coaches told the guy we would get them ice cream on the way home if they won, so we are looking forward to that on the drive back to Columbus." Midway through the 93rd minute, Andrew Magill sent an untouched through ball from the top of the penalty area. Shrigley gathered the loose ball in the goal box and sent it into the back of the net for the win, the Buckeyes' first in extra time since Aug. 31, 2008, against Central Florida. There were limited opportunities for scoring in regulation, with Shrigley launching a rocket over the crossbar in the 89th off a direct feed from David Tiemstra. Magill and Konrard Warzycha were the lone remaining Buckeye players to tally shots with three and two, respectively. Indiana out-shoot Ohio State 8-7 on the day and held a 4-3 advantage on corner kicks. Both goalkeepers - Lampson and IU's Nemanga Kostic finished the day with four saves. In addition to the unprecedented historical significance of the win, it also allows the Buckeyes to stay in the hunt for the Big Ten Championship, awarded this year to the winner of the regular season (see updated standings below). The Buckeyes close out the 2009 campaign next weekend against Michigan at 6 p.m. Saturday in Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. "We are looking forward to playing a very quality Michigan team next week," Bluem said. "We will let the chips fall where they may fall in terms of the Big Ten Championship and tournament seeding - all we can control is our team's performance against the Wolverines and the outcome of that game."

Michigan St. closes out home season with 1-1 tie

Sun, 1 Nov 2009 16:48:00 +0000

EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State men's soccer team ended its regular-season home slate with a 1-1 tie with San Diego State on Sunday at DeMartin Stadium. MSU is now 10-4-2 while SDSU, currently No. 11 in the latest edition of the RPI, is 6-4-5. "We just didn't have the sharpness today in possession but we stuck together well as a team and hung on there," said Rensing. The Aztecs outshot MSU, 6-3, in the first half but neither team generated many threatening scoring chances. MSU's best opportunity came in the 13th minute when Rubin Bega's shot from 22 yards out just missed the upper right corner. The Aztecs put the Spartans on their heels to start the second half, but two terrific stops in a one-minute span by Spartan goalkeeper Avery Steinlage and a hit post kept the game scoreless. MSU weathered San Diego State's early second-half offensive, and after Cyrus Sayde was taken down on a counter attack just outside the penalty area, the Spartans set up for a free kick from 19-yards out in the 61st minute. On the restart, Spencer Thompson set the ball for Bega who sent an arching shot over the wall and the hands of SDSU keeper Brad Byrns for the game's first goal. "Their keeper looked to be cheating toward the near post and I was able to hit the ball with a good amount of pace and get in there back post," said Bega. SDSU came back to tie the game however in the 77th minute, as Khadim Diouf took a long pass down the left side and beat the MSU defense and Steinlage with a shot from 8-yards out. With neither team able to take the lead late in regulation, the game went into overtime where the Aztecs continued to press the Spartans, who were playing their third game in seven days. Steinlage finished with five saves for MSU while SDSU's Byrns recorded two stops for the game. "Avery was very good today and made some timely saves," Rensing said. MSU will face the consensus No. 1 team in the nation on Wednesday (Nov. 4) when it travels to Akron to take on the Zips at 7:30 p.m.

Penn St. beats UW, takes over first place

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:07:00 +0000

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State men's soccer (10-5-2, 3-1-1 Big Ten) maintained control of its own destiny in the race for the conference title and at the same time moved into sole possession of first place in the Big Ten with a 2-1 victory over Wisconsin (6-8-2, 3-3-0) on Saturday afternoon at Jeffrey Field. With the win, the Nittany Lions complete their first undefeated season at home (7-0-2) since 2001 when they went 7-0. Penn State, which tops the Big Ten with 10 points, can uphold that position with a Northwestern loss to Michigan on Sunday. The Nittany Lions and Wildcats entered the day tied for second with seven points, two behind Wisconsin. With a win over Indiana next weekend in Bloomington, Penn State can secure at least a share of its first regular season Big Ten championship since 2005. Junior midfielder Matheus Braga (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) got Penn State on the scoreboard with his sixth goal of the season, converting on a penalty kick opportunity, the Nittany Lions' fourth of the year. Sophomore Corey Hertzog (Reading, Pa.) netted the game winner, his fifth of the season and his eighth goal overall. Senior forward Jason Yeisley (Allentown, Pa.) earned his fifth assist of the year on the play. Hertzog and Yeisley are tied for the team lead in goals, assists, and points. Penn State started the game on a shaky note, struggling to gain possession while dealing with constant Wisconsin pressure. But the tide turned at the midpoint of the half and the Nittany Lions began to gain scoring opportunities. In the 28th minute, Frank Costigliola lobbed a pass from just inside the box deep into the UW zone, where Corey Hertzog was got free of the Wisconsin defense. However, his diving stab at a header shot just missed. Penn State thought it had another chance when Hertzog was taken down hard inside the box but no penalty kick was awarded. Sophomore midfielder Mackenzie Arment (Manheim, Pa.) nearly gave PSU the lead in the 31st minute, when after checking into the game just three minutes earlier, ripped a shot from 20 yards out that went just wide of an open goal. The Nittany Lions' aggressive attacking style finally paid dividends in the waning moments of the first half. Deep inside the box, Jason Yeisley was attempting to jump and get a head on the ball but was shoved in the back by UW defender Aaron Nichols, drawing the foul and the resulting penalty kick. Braga drew the shooting assignment and put it easily past Wisconsin keeper Alex Horwath with just 18 seconds remaining in the half. Penn State again weathered a Wisconsin storm early in the second half to strike back with solid runs and viable scoring chances of its own. In the 57th minute, Frank Costigliola played a beautiful ball from the left wing near midfield to Mackenzie Arment deep on the right wing. Arment centered the pass to Jason Yeisley but his shot went just high of net. One minute later, a rocket off the foot of sophomore defender Justin Lee (Derwood, Md.) was on target but saved by the Wisconsin goalkeeper. Lee was central to another scoring opportunity in the 63rd minute when his pass into the box was nearly headed in by fellow sophomore defender Mark Fetrow (West Chester, Pa.), sailing just high. Arment hooked up with junior forward Treavor Gelsinger (Shady Grove, Pa.) for another chance soon thereafter. Arment found Gelsinger just inside the box with pass. Gelsinger held the ball up with his back to the goal, turned suddenly, and got off a blistering shot that was corralled by the UW keeper. Penn State's pressure again bore fruit in the 78th minute when Jason Yeisley and Corey Hertzog teamed for a goal for the fifth time this season. Hertzog hit Yeisley with a pass, who then pushed it back to Hertzog, who was speeding down the left wing. He broke left to gain a shooting angle and put a left-footed shot past the Wisconsin defender and keeper and into net far post from 14 yards away. Wisconsin cut the PSU lead in half three minutes later when Scott Lorenz found Jon Rzepka open on the far post off a free kick on the right wing. He put it in high for his second goal of the season. But the Penn State defense would hold in the final minutes, giving the Nittany Lions the crucial win. The tape delayed game will be re-aired on the Big Ten Network tomorrow, Sun., Nov. 1, at 4 p.m. With two wins this season, including its 1-0 triumph over Michigan State on Oct. 4, Penn State is 3-3 all-time in games broadcast on the BTN. Seniors Diego Correa (Niteroi, Brazil), Frank Costigliola, Vincent Salvatico (Chester Springs, Pa.), Jacobo Vera (Pamplona, Spain), and Jason Yeisley (Allentown, Pa.) played their final regular season game at Jeffrey Field on Saturday. The group was honored for their contributions to the program in a special pre-game Senior Day ceremony. The Nittany Lions will conclude regular season play on Fri., Nov. 6 when it visits Bloomington, Ind. and Bill Armstrong Stadium for a 3 p.m. match-up with archrival Indiana (8-7-1, 2-2-0 Big Ten). Penn State has taken four of its last six meetings with IU, including last season's 1-0 upset win over the 17th-ranked Hoosiers at Jeffrey Field. The postseason will kickoff the following weekend when the Lions return to Bloomington to begin pursuit of their fourth conference crown at the 2009 Big Ten Championship. To be hosted by Indiana University, the tournament is scheduled for Nov. 12-15.

N. Illinois blanks Wisconsin men

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:42:00 +0000

MADISON, Wis. -- It began with a celebration, but Wednesday's match ended on a sour note for the Wisconsin men's soccer team. A goal by Juan Hoyos in the 85th minute propelled Northern Illinois to a 1-0 win, snapping Wisconsin's three-game win streak and spoiling Senior Night in the Badgers' home finale at the McClimon Complex. The loss dropped the Badgers back below the .500 mark at 6-7-2 overall and also snapped the team's three-game home win streak, dating back to Oct. 11. The shutout also brought an end to the Badgers' run of three straight multiple-goal games. The Badgers were held to just six shots for the match and failed to put any of those on frame. It was UW's first game without a shot-on-goal all season. ""It was a game where we couldn't find rhythm, we were slow in transition, not sharp offensively and certainly didn't get many chances,"" UW head coach Todd Yeagley said. ""I just thought we didn't bring the game we have been bringing for the last five or six games."" The Huskies managed 14 shots, but the Badgers' defense limited NIU to just three looks on frame and senior goalkeeper Alex Horwath collected a pair of saves. The one Horwath couldn't get to, however, proved to be the one that made the difference. After a long possession on the far side of the field, at the top of the 18-yard box, Hoyos launched a shot that deflected off at least one UW defender and caromed to the near side of the goal. It tucked inside the near post as Horwath made a diving attempt after the change of direction. Hoyos' goal was the first allowed by the Wisconsin defense since Oct. 17, halting a run of 319 consecutive scoreless minutes. ""Our team has been doing a really good job about being really sound in the back,"" Yeagley said. ""I still believe we're learning and, tonight, (NIU) capitalized on a mistake."" Northern Illinois out-shot the Badgers 9-3 in the first half, but UW's defense allowed the Huskies to get just one clean look at the goal. That came in the 37th minute, when Danny Lopez uncorked a blast that Horwath punched wide on a diving save attempt. The senior keeper made another brilliant stop in the second half, as he came out of the goal to make a sliding save on a ball bounced into the box by Ben Thomas in the 54th minute. Despite several well-organized possessions on the NIU side of the field, the Badgers were held to just three shots in the second half and did not attempt a corner. ""It's our last game, so obviously we wanted to come out with a win,"" senior defender Eric Conklin said. ""We put it all out on the field, and it's too bad we couldn't end with a win."" Scott Lorenz led the way for UW offensively with a pair of shots. The Badgers must quickly turn their attention to a pivotal Saturday match against Penn State in their Big Ten Conference finale. UW stands atop the Big Ten standings, just two points ahead of the second-place Nittany Lions. The match is set for 2 p.m. (CT) in University Park, Pa., and will be televised on a tape-delay basis by Big Ten Network at 3 p.m. Sunday. Note A total of nine players were honored prior to Wednesday's contest as part of Senior Night festivities. Alex Horwath, Brandon Miller, Scott Lorenz, Brian Bultman, Max Wilson, Pablo Delgado, Eric Conklin, Taylor Waspi and Austin Nyquist all played their final home game for the Badgers.

Powerhouse Akron drops Penn State

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:41:00 +0000

AKRON, Ohio - The Penn State men's soccer team (9-5-2) got behind early and couldn't make up the deficit in its showdown with undefeated and No. 1-ranked Akron (16-0-0) on Wednesday evening, and fell to the Zips, 3-0, in front of a partisan crowd numbering 1,500-plus at Lee Jackson Field. The Nittany Lions suffered just their second shutout of the season in the setback and the first since Sept. 20. While Penn State couldn't find net against the nation's top-rated defense, it did record more shots, 11, than any other Akron opponent this season and forced Zips' goalkeeper Davis Meves, the NCAA leader in goals against average, into a season-high five saves. Sophomore forward Corey Hertzog (Reading, Pa.) had a team-high five shots, including one that hit the post. He and senior forward Jason Yeisley (Allentown, Pa.) led the Lions with two shots on goal. Akron has limited opponents to one or fewer shots on goal six times in 2009. "Akron is a very good side" said Penn State head coach Barry Gorman. "They play very well for 90 minutes and we didn't put together enough sustained minutes to stay with them throughout the course of the game." Akron fashioned a 2-0 lead through the game's first 23-plus minutes by virtue of two goals from forward Teal Bunbury. The first goal came at the 4:25 mark from 12 yards away off a pass from Ofori Sarkodie. Bunbury's second goal came in the 24th minute from 30 yards out. Penn State then picked up the pace and pressure offensively but could not convert on its shot attempts. The Nittany Lions continued their solid play early in the second half, highlighted by three shots from Corey Hertzog, but a third and final goal in the 62nd minute by Darlington Nagbe put the game out of reach. Penn State posted just one shot, an attempt on goal by Jason Yeisley, for the remainder of the game. Redshirt sophomore Warren Gross (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) went the distance for Penn State in goal, recording two saves. With their longest road stint of 2009 in the books, the Nittany Lions return home to Happy Valley this weekend for a critical Big Ten contest with Wisconsin (6-7-2, 3-2-0 Big Ten) on Sat., Oct. 31. The Halloween match-up, which is scheduled for a 3 p.m. start at Jeffrey Field, will be aired on a tape delay basis on the Big Ten Network (Sun., Nov. 1, 4 p.m.). Penn State will be looking to avenge a 4-1 loss suffered last season in Madison, Wis. The Lions own an 11-9-2 record all-time versus the Badgers. Senior Day festivities will also highlight Saturday, with Diego Correa (Niteroi, Brazil), Frank Costigliola (Dix Hills, N.Y.), Vincent Salvatico (Chester Springs, Pa.), Jacobo Vera (Pamplona, Spain), and Jason Yeisley being honored in a special pre-game ceremony.

IU men defeat Evansville

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:18:00 +0000

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Indiana men's soccer team snapped a three-game losing streak in style on Wednesday night, taking a 2-0 victory over in-state for Evansville on Jerry Yeagley Field at Armstrong Stadium. The win puts the Hoosiers at 8-7-1 on the season, while the Purple Aces fall to 10-6-1. ""We fought hard and stuck with a game plan,"" said head coach Mike Freitag. ""Maybe in other games we over extended ourselves and made mistakes. Tonight I thought we played within ourselves and did everything we needed to be successful. ""(Evansville) is a hard team to play against. They do some things very well that give other teams trouble and we talked about them and the guys executed well today and we fought. That was a big part of it. You have to fight, and I was happy with everyone on the team today."" After an uneventful first half, which saw the Hoosiers take five shots to Evansville's four, senior midfielder Lee Hagedorn broke the stalemate with his second goal of the season to put IU up 1-0 at 67:51. After receiving a chip shot from teammate Andy Adlard, Hagedorn weaved his way through the UE defense before ripping off a shot from 18 yards out that found the upper right. Hagedorn has taken five shots this season, two of which have resulted in goals. ""It has been tough the last three games and it felt really good to get a win here at home in front of our fans,"" Hagedorn said. ""We haven't done as well as we would like to at home, and we have great fans that come out here and support us. ""We have a good team. We know we have a talented group and I think we have found the right mix going forward. We have our confidence back and know we can take on anyone. The Hoosiers added an insurance score in the 81st minute thanks to a long throw-in from freshman Matt Wiet. Wiet's throw bounced around in the box before Nick Blevins got a toe on the ball and poked it past Evansville goalkeeper Phil Boerger. Out of the three shots Blevins has taken on the season, two have been for goals. Neither team put together much offensively in the first 45 minutes, with a free kick from Adlard in the 22nd minute the Hoosiers best chance. Adlard's service curled in and forced a save from Boerger, and the ball bounced back out to Rich Balchan who sent an attempt wide left. With six minutes gone in the second half, Adlard sent in a corner kick that Daniel Kelly got a head on but angled wide right. Indiana finished with 15 shots on the night, led by four from Will Bruin. Adlard had two attempts, with eight of the other 10 field starters taking one shot each. Senior Nemanja Kostic got his first career start in goal and picked up the win and the shutout, tallying just one save in 90 minutes of action. Indiana returns to action Sunday afternoon as it plays host to Ohio State in Big Ten action. The teams will meet at 2 p.m. ET on Jerry Yeagley Field at Armstrong Stadium.

MSU men drop Notre Dame, 2-1

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:13:00 +0000

EAST LANSING, Mich . - For the second consecutive game, Cyrus Saydee scored the game-winning goal early in the second half as the Michigan State men's soccer team defeated Notre Dame, 2-1, on Wednesday (Oct. 28) afternoon at DeMartin Stadium. The win improves MSU's record to 10-4-1, marking the ninth time this decade it has recorded at least 10 wins in a season. "Today was a huge win for a lot of reasons," said MSU head coach Damon Rensing. "You want to improve how you are seen in the regional rankings and by the NCAA Tournament committee. Notre Dame is just a great program and Bobby Clark does a great job there - you want to show well against a quality opponent." Michigan State capitalized on its first corner kick of the game in the 16th minute. Spencer Thompson delivered the ball into the box where, after a deflection, Stephen Lucianek headed it toward the net and Rubin Bega tapped it in for his team-leading eighth goal of the season. The Irish (9-7-1) pressured the Spartans in the final stages of the first half and in the 37th minute, Adam Mena's header from the right side tied the game at one. "I felt we like we took our foot off the gas after we scored and that allowed them to get pressure on us," said Rensing. Similar to Sunday's game against Michigan, the Spartans responded with a goal early in the second half. And again like Sunday's game, it was Cyrus Saydee that regained the lead for MSU. Saydee started the play when he took the ball just past midfield down the left side and he beat two Notre Dame defenders. After nearly getting hauled down by a third defender, Saydee beat UND keeper Andrew Quinn and made it 2-1 with a rocket to the upper right corner of the net. "I just kept going and I knew if I lost the ball, the ref would have called a foul, but I kept going," Saydee said. "The center back kind of overplayed it and I just cut and had a clear shot." The highlight-reel goal energized the Spartans for the remainder of the game. "That was one of the best goals we've seen here in this program in the last 10 years," Rensing added. Saydee has now scored in each of the last three games. "We felt like if we came out strong in the second half and scored and kept playing, we would be fine," said Saydee. "In the first half after we scored, we kind of sat back and let them attack." Avery Steinlage finished with three saves for MSU, which was outshot, 14-8, for the game. The Green and White will play its final home match of the year on Sunday when it hosts San Diego State at 1 p.m. at DeMartin Stadium.

MSU tops Michigan, continues success vs. rival

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 18:38:00 +0000

EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State men's soccer team used two early goals - one in the first half and one in the second - to defeat Michigan, 2-1, on Sunday in front of a crowd of more than 2,300 at DeMartin Stadium. The Spartans are now unbeaten against the Wolverines since 2003 and have taken six of the last seven and nine of the last 12 meetings between the schools. "I just thought our guys were fantastic today, from goalkeeper, to up top, to the bench," said MSU head coach Damon Rensing. "We stuck to a good game plan early on. We knew what was coming and I thought we countered that very well in the first 15 minutes." The Spartans (9-4-1, 2-3) got off to a fast start - scoring the first goal of the game in the sixth minute. Jeff Ricondo started the play for MSU by hitting Cyrus Saydee with a pass down the left side. Saydee sprinted with the ball toward the middle for the field and found Spencer Thompson cutting toward the net who put it behind U-M keeper Chris Blais for a 1-0 MSU lead. "I knew Cyrus was going to beat his guy so I just went to the middle of the box as quickly as I could and he played a great ball in for me," Thompson said. MSU goalkeeper Avery Steinlage was tested all day by the Wolverines and U-M's Matt Schmitt had the best chance of the first half in the 36th minute. Schmitt found a loose ball inside the penalty area and fired it on net but Steinlage was in perfect position for the save. Later on in the half, defender Colin Givens did his part for the Spartans to keep the game scoreless by denying the Wolverines' Julian Robles' rebound attempt with a diving stop on the backline after Steinlage stopped the initial shot. The Wolverines finally got to the Green and White though in the last minute of the first half. Schmitt got a header over the outstretched hand of Steinlage to tie the game at one. As they did in the first half, the Spartans struck quickly again to start the second. At the 46:11 mark, Saydee and Thompson got together again to regain the lead for MSU. Saydee took a perfect pass from Thompson at the top of the penalty area and beat Blais with a hard shot for his second goal in two games. "We talked about staying together and we managed some adversity giving up that late goal," Rensing said. "Some teams may have gone in the tank, but we responded and came back out and got a quick goal." Givens came up huge again for MSU later in the second, making another stop on the goal line. With the score still 2-1 MSU in the 66th minute, Givens stopped U-M's Mauro Fuzetti's shot from point-blank range. A red card to Michigan's Adam Keller in the 77th minute forced the Wolverines to play a man down for the remainder of the match and allowed MSU to control a majority of the action in the closing minutes. Fuzzeti had one final opportunity for U-M (9-5-1, 1-3) to tie the game with just under five minutes to play. But again, a rebound shot attempt was stopped by the MSU defense as Jake Fullerton slid to clear a ball from the backline. "The defense was just fantastic today," Steinlage said. "Colin stopped two balls off the line and everyone was just playing their hearts out. Michigan is a very good offensive team with a lot of weapons and we shut them down today." Steinlage finished with seven saves for MSU. MSU will host Notre Dame at 3 p.m. on Wednesday (Oct. 28) at DeMartin Stadium.

No. 12 Northwestern knocks off No. 25 Indiana

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 17:41:00 +0000

EVANSTON, Ill. - No. 25 Indiana fell behind in the 63rd minute and could not mount a comeback in a 2-0 loss at No. 12 Northwestern (9-2-4, 2-1-1) Sunday afternoon at Lakeside Field. The Hoosiers fall to 7-7-1 overall, 2-2 in Big Ten play. Indiana has now gone 277:22 minutes without scoring a goal. "This is a very difficult loss," said head coach Mike Freitag. "It is indicative of the season at this point and time. For whatever reason we have not come together as a team and we have very little time left to do that." Northwestern took a 1-0 lead at 62:12 when Matt Eliason corralled a free ball in the box and sent it to the lower left corner. It was the first goal scored by Northwestern against Indiana since the 2005 season when the teams played to a 1-1 tie. The Wildcats put the match out of reach with their second goal in the 79th minute as Oliver Kupe scored his second goal of the season. The Hoosiers did not record a shot in the second half until 12:30 remaining when Eric Alexander sent a shot high. With 10 minutes to play freshman Kevin Bick sent a ball off the NU cross bar. With sophomore Will Bruin ineligible for this contest after receiving a red card in the last match, redshirt freshman Tim Wylie earned his first career start, pairing up top with senior Darren Yeagle. Senior Eric Alexander took a shot in the 11th minute that Northwestern goalkeeper Misha Rosenthal came out to block, The ball rolled over to the back post but no Hoosier was in position to put home the rebound. Neil Wilmarth, who came on for the Hoosiers mid-way in the first half, out-jumped his opponent and got his head on the end of an Andy Adlard corner kick in the 33rd minute but an IU defender was there for the team save. Indiana was lucky to survive a pair of dangerous chances by the Wildcats in the first half. Goalkeeper Luis Soffner tried to one-hand a serve that bounced over his head, but he was able to cover the ball before an NU player could get a foot on it. With less than 10 minutes to play, a deflected header off a corner kick bounced off the cross bar and out of play to keep Northwestern scoreless. The Hoosiers had an 8-2 advantage in shots at the half, limiting NU to just one on-goal look. Yeagle and Kevin Bick led IU with two attempts each. Indiana will close the regular season with a three-match home stand, beginning with Evansville Wednesday night at 7 p.m. ET on Jerry Yeagley Field at Armstrong Stadium.

Wisconsin shuts out No. 25 Ohio St., 2-0

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 18:12:00 +0000

MADISON, Wis. - The Wisconsin men's soccer team did what it needed to in order to keep pace in the race for the Big Ten Conference championship Sunday, scoring a 2-0 win over No. 25 Ohio State at the McClimon Complex. Sophomore Danny Aherling put the Badgers out front in the 32nd minute with his first career goal, as he converted an impressive 25-yard blast into a 1-0 lead for UW. "I really don't know where that came from," Aherling said of his goal. "I don't think I've ever scored from outside the 18 [yard box] in my life. I was the only one up there so I guess shooting was pretty much my last option so I shot it and it went in." Ahlering, who made his fifth-consecutive start, helped the Badgers score their fourth win in five matches, and their third-straight in Big Ten play. "I'm getting a lot more comfortable in game situations because I think it comes with experience," Aherling said. "Today, I feel a lot more comfortable with the guys that are playing around me. It's really easy to play with our back line. It's easy to play with Aaron Nichols and Eric Conklin." The victory also marked the Badgers' second-consecutive win over a ranked team. At 3-2-0, the Badgers have posted three conference wins for the first time since going 3-2-1 during the 2006 season. Each squad kicked it up a notch for a more dynamic second half, and senior Taylor Waspi put things away for the Badgers in the 56th minute by converting a ball from freshman Ata Ozbay into UW's second goal of the day - and his third of the season. "We talked about moving the ball quick, knowing where you're going with it before you get it," midfielder Jon Rzepka said. "[Ohio State is] good defensively, so we had to be quick. We tried to get the ball out wide as much as we could to isolate our outside-midfielders against their outside backs." The Buckeyes fired back for an intense final five minutes, keeping the ball near Wisconsin's goal, while the Badgers remained solid to help reserve goalkeeper Ryan Vint secure the shutout. Ohio State owned a 16-12 advantage in shots for the match, but Vint and starting keeper Alex Horwath combined to stop all four of the Buckeyes' shots-on-goal. "When you start to have success, you can build and reflect and use those positive thoughts and move forward and I think that's what we're doing," head coach Todd Yeagley said. "Our depth is as strong as it has been all year. I think that this group is believing and when you play well and believe, you can put yourself in a position to succeed." Wisconsin, which returned to the .500 mark on the year at 6-6-2, now finishes its three-game homestand with the final home contest of the season on Wednesday, Oct. 28. The Badgers take on Northern Illinois in a match scheduled for 7 p.m.

Badgers top Marquette once again

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:01:00 +0000

MADISON, Wis. - For the second year in a row, Wisconsin shut down in-state rival Marquette with a 2-0 decision Wednesday night at the McClimon Soccer Complex. It was a night with a lot of firsts for the Badgers, as junior Jon Rzepka scored his first career goal of the while Ryan Vint made his first appearance this season. As the wind picked up through the night, so did Wisconsin's offense, scoring both goals late in the second half, thanks to senior Eric Conklin and Rzepka. "We wanted to be the aggressor and push the game to keep the speed of the flow going" said first-year head coach Todd Yeagley. ""They looked to slow it down. "We could have walked away with several more goals, and that's a good thing. We're creating dangerous opportunities, I'm pleased with that."" After a scoreless first half with no shots connecting on goal, both teams came out hungry in the second half. Conklin put the Badgers on the board with the eventual game-winning tally after beating defenders to find the back of the net in the 69th minute. "My job is to seal the play,"" said Conklin describing his second goal of the year. ""I kind of anticipated the ball popping out. I think it skimmed over someone's head so I brought it down, got the first touch and I started dribbling towards the goal looking for guys that were open but the other team's defenders let me dribble all the way through and I passed to the far post."" Rzepka would provide the insurance off the restart when senior Scott Lorenz served from the right side to the back corner. Repzka knocked it in at the 85:20 mark. Vint made one save, stopping a long range shot, in his first career shutout for the Badgers. Vint also stole a dangerous through ball early in the second half. "It felt great,"" said the junior keeper. ""Getting that first one under your belt is always important. I was a little nervous to be honest with you, but you just have to settle down, take a deep breath and play your game."" Wisconsin and Marquette both put up nine shots while Vint and Marquette's Matt Pyzdrowski each made one save apiece. The Golden Eagles edged the Badgers in corner kicks 6-5. The Badgers continue its homestand when Ohio State visits McClimon on Sunday, Oct. 25. Wisconsin notes With the win Wisconsin moves to 5-6-2 (2-2-0 Big Ten) while Marquette drops to 3-8-3 … All-time record moves to 17-9-7 over Marquette … UW is 6-0-1 in last seven games against the Golden Eagles … The Badgers have not lost to Marquette at home since 1999 , going 3-0-2 in the four home matches that have followed … Marquette falls to 0-3-2 in true road games … UW has won three of its last four matches, outscoring opponents 6-3 … Wisconsin is 3-1-1 at McClimon

PSU beats Bucknell, claims second road win

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:08:00 +0000

LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Penn State men's soccer team (9-4-2) gained its second road win of the season, downing regional rival Bucknell (11-4-0), 2-1, in a hard fought contest in Lewisburg on Wednesday evening. Sophomore forward Corey Hertzog (Reading, Pa.) earned his third game winning and seventh overall goal of the season to lead the Nittany Lions. Redshirt junior Andy Parr (Hummelstown, Pa.) recorded his first career assist on the scoring play. Redshirt junior Warren Gross (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) was brilliant in goal, registering six saves. Play in the first half was fast and furious, marked by aggressive and physical action. Penn State controlled possession early on and nearly took a quick lead off a miscue by Bucknell goalkeeper Tommy Caso. An errant Nittany Lion pass into the Bison zone was allowed by the BU defense to be handled by Caso. He whiffed on an attempt to clear and the ball skipped past him and trickled just wide of goal. The Nittany Lions' pressure finally paid dividends in the 29th minute when Corey Hertzog earned a throw in from the right wing. His toss was strong, sailing into the box near post, targeted for Jason Yeisley. However, the ball deflected off Yeisley's mark, Bucknell defender Ross Liberati, and into the upper corner of net for an own goal. Near the end of the first half, the tide turned and Bucknell began to earn the better scoring chances. A corner kick with just over two minutes remaining produced its best opportunity. Bucknell's initial shot was cleared off the line by sophomore midfielder Mackenzie Arment (Manheim, Pa.) but still remained deep in the Penn State zone. Jeff Plump got his foot on the ball and nearly put it in but outstanding awareness by Warren Gross rendered a key save. Pushing and shoving by both sides ensued but no cards were issued. Bucknell came out of the gates quickly in the second half and equalized the game in the 52nd minute. After beating a Penn State defender on the right wing, CK Kumah found a shooting lane and snuck a low left footed liner into goal on the near post. Penn State answered back with less than four minutes later. Near midfield, Andy Parr sent a pass down the middle of the field that Jason Yeisley let go by him with a fake touch. The ball then found the foot of Corey Hertzog, who was set up one-on-one with a Bucknell defender. Hertzog faked left and sent a low left footed rocket from 16 yards out that found net on the far post. The Nittany Lions nearly lengthened their advantage at the 27:40 mark when sophomore defender Justin Lee (Derwood, Md.) served a perfect pass from the far right wing to far post seeking an unmarked Jason Yeisley. The two-time All-Big Ten forward had an open goal but couldn't get a foot on it. Gross kept Penn State in the lead with a spectacular save with 15:50 remaining in the game. Off a corner kick, Bucknell midfielder Sean King had the ball come to him. He played it off his chest to himself and fired a skimming shot from 25 yards out that made its way through the clutter and looked to be headed into goal, but Gross snagged it with a fully-extended, diving save. Junior forward Treavor Gelsinger (Shady Grove, Pa.) and junior midfielder Matheus Braga (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) also had excellent, near-miss chances in the final minutes of the game. Gelsinger had a laser shot from 30 yards out that skimmed the cross bar while Braga sent a shot just wide of an open goal from left wing to far post. The Nittany Lions will conclude their longest road stretch of the season on Wed., Oct. 28 when it treks west to Ohio for a showdown with undefeated and No. 1-ranked Akron (14-0-0). Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. at what will likely be a sold out Lee Jackson Field. The Zips, which have outscored their opponents, 41-3, and have not allowed a goal at home this season, own wins over Big Ten teams Indiana (1-0), Ohio State (3-0) and Michigan (5-1). A year ago, Penn State used the first career goal by defender Mark Fetrow (West Chester, Pa.) to earn a 1-1 draw with then-No. 2 Akron at Jeffrey Field.