Sept. 28, 2008
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - In a back-and-forth, typical hotly contested Big Ten match-up, the Penn State men's soccer team (2-6-2, 0-1-0 Big Ten) netted a season high three goals but it was not enough to overtake Michigan State (4-4-0, 1-1-0 Big Ten) and the Nittany Lions suffered a 4-3 setback in their conference opener on Sunday afternoon at Jeffrey Field.
Sophomore forward Treavor Gelsinger (Shady Grove, Pa.) netted his first two goals of the season, becoming the first Nittany Lion to have a multiple score game since Jason Yeisley (Allentown, Pa.) did it versus Penn on Sept. 26, 2007. The goals for the 2007 All-Big Ten Freshman Team honoree were the fourth and fifth of his career. Freshman midfielder MacKenzie Arment (Manheim, Pa.) scored PSU's other goal, the first of his collegiate career. Gelsinger and Arment are tied for the team lead in points with four.
The Nittany Lions outshot their opponent for the eighth time this season, totaling 20, including a season-high 11 on goal, as compared to Michigan State's nine. Penn State also had a 4-0 advantage in corner kicks.
For the third consecutive game, Penn State surrendered an early goal, as Michigan State jumped on top 1-0 in the seventh minute. Senior forward Louis Stephens III got behind the Nittany Lion defense and put a shot into the box from the left wing that was blocked. With the ball not immediately cleared, senior midfielder Zac Scaffidi took advantage and put the ball in an open net.
Penn State responded with an equalizer just over five minutes on a play similar to MSU's first score. Holding his ground near the goal in the box, Gelsinger was in position to track down a loose ball. Fighting off two defenders, he got off a shot that found net and knotted the game at 1-1.
The Spartans reclaimed the lead in the 25th minute on a controversial play. Sophomore defender Casey Derkacz (Hamburg, N.Y.) was attempting to clear a MSU shot when his kick popped into the air and was caught by goalkeeper Warren Gross (Greenfield Center, N.Y.). The official ruled it a back pass and awarded Michigan State a free kick from the corner of the goalie box. Zac Scaffidi quickly passed the ball back to senior forward Doug DeMartin, who laced a shot to the upper left corner of the goal for his seventh score of the season.
Michigan State's third goal before halftime was also not without controversy. Expecting the Spartans to be called offsides, Scaffidi and DeMartin were left unmarked by the Penn State defense and the duo capitalized on a two-on-one opportunity against Gross, with DeMartin putting in his eighth goal of the year uncontested.
Undaunted by the deficit, Penn State got back into the game in a hurry in the second half. In the 53rd minute, freshman forward Corey Hertzog (Reading, Pa.) sent in a beautiful pass to Treavor Gelsinger who was positioned eight yards out in front of the goal. Gelsinger again muscled his way free from a swarm of defenders and got off an on-target shot for his second goal of the game. Hertzog was credited with his second assist of the season on the play.
The Spartans upped their lead back to two just over six minutes later when Doug DeMartin scored his third goal of the game, off a play resulting from an errant shot by Louis Stephens III.
Penn State rallied once again and cut the deficit to one goal in the 62nd minute. Junior forward Vincent Salvatico (Chester Springs, Pa.) rocketed a rising shot near the top of the box that MSU goalkeeper Avery Steinlage tipped and pushed into the crossbar. The ball fell directly in front of the goal and MacKenzie Arment took advantage of good positioning, knocking it in goal.
The Nittany Lions continued to press on the attack for the remainder of the game, earning several excellent opportunities to knot the game. Hertzog, senior defender Andy Machi (Upper St. Clair, Pa.), and freshman defender Justin Lee (Derwood, Md.) each had good looks at the goal at different times but could not convert.
Redshirt freshman Warren Gross started in goal for the second time this season and for his career, recording one save.
The Nittany Lions will continue conference play on Sat., Oct. 4 when they travel to Evanston, Ill. to take on No. 7 Northwestern (8-0-1, 1-0-0 Big Ten) in a 4:30 p.m. ET match-up at the home of the Wildcats, Lakeside Field. The game will broadcast live by the Big Ten Network. Penn State has dominated the all-time series with Northwestern, compiling a 21-1-1 record. In 2007, the Lions knocked off the No. 3 Wildcats, 2-1, at Jeffrey Field in PSU's debut appearance on the BTN.