Sept. 26, 2007
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Junior forward Jason Yeisley (Allentown, Pa.) scored the game-winning goal with just 37 seconds remaining in the second overtime period to propel the Penn State men's soccer team (3-4-1) to a thrilling 3-2 victory over Pennsylvania (1-4-2) on Wednesday night at Jeffrey Field.
With the clock nearing expiration and a second consecutive tie looking like a certainty for the Nittany Lions, sophomore midfielder Frank Costigliola (Dix Hills, N.Y.) sent a long entry pass into the Penn box, targeting a wide-open Yeisley. The star striker headed a perfect shot into the Quakers' net past replacement goalkeeper Kevin Sweetland, providing a remarkable finish to the hard-fought win.
For Yeisley, the goal was his second of the night, giving him two-goal performances in consecutive games. Adding an assist in the victory, Yeisley has totaled nine points in Penn State's last two contests. He currently tops the team with six goals and 15 points and is tied with Treavor Gelsinger (Shady Grove, Pa.) for the team-lead in assists with three.
The stage was set for the game winning goal just minutes earlier when sophomore forward Jacobo Vera (Pamplona, Spain) had a breakaway and one-on-one opportunity with Pennsylvania starting goalkeeper Drew Healy. The Quaker netminder rushed Vera, tackling him just outside the box and drawing a red card and the ejection. With Pennsylvania rattled by the play, Penn State took advantage and scored the golden goal just minutes later.
After a slow and methodical first half, the pace picked up quickly in the second half along with the scoring. Yeisley gave the Nittany Lions the 1-0 lead in the 48th minute when he booted in a goal from eight yards out on the right wing after receiving a crossing pass from freshman midfielder Drew Cost (West Chester, Pa.).
Pennsylvania answered back to knot the game at 1-1 less than four minutes later. Junior forward Andrew Ferry took a pass from teammate Richard Frank in the Nittany Lion box straight on and pushed forward. Penn State goalkeeper Conrad Taylor (Colorado Springs, Colo.) came out to challenge Ferry, but the ball trickled past his dive and slowly rolled into goal.
Penn State recaptured the lead in the 69th minute when freshman forward Treavor Gelsinger netted his first career goal. Cost and Yeisley again combined on the play, passing to one another before Gelsinger found net with a straightaway shot from 10 yards out.
The Quakers retied the game with just under 10 minutes remaining when senior defender Keith Vereb scored off a free kick opportunity. He bent a perfectly-placed laser shot around the Penn State wall into the upper left of the net past a diving Conrad Taylor.
The Nittany Lions dominated the first overtime, putting together three solid offensive pushes that ended in near misses. Yeisley, Cost, and senior defender Stephen Reihner (Washington, Pa.) had clear looks but could not convert.
Penn State controlled pace and tempo throughout much of the game, outshooting Pennsylvania by a healthy 21-8 margin, including an 11-4 advantage in the wide-open second half.
The Nittany Lions will continue their home stand on Sat., Sept. 29, when they host No. 3 Northwestern (6-0-1) in a 7 p.m. contest. The key conference clash, which will be broadcast live to a national television audience, will mark the debut of Penn State men's soccer on the Big Ten Network. The Nittany Lions have dominated their series with the Wildcats, compiling a 20-1-1 all-time record, including two wins last season.