Sept. 10, 2009
2009 Penn State Classic Tournament Central | Penn State Classic Notes
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State men's soccer team will continue its 2009 home schedule this weekend when it welcomes Ohio State (1-0-1), Hartford (2-0-0), and Hofstra (1-1-0) to Jeffrey Field for the 13th annual Penn State Classic.
On the opening day of play, Fri., Sept. 11, Ohio State will first face Hartford (5 p.m.) followed by Penn State (2-1-0) taking on Hofstra (7:30 p.m.). Day two, Sun., Sept. 13, will pit Ohio State versus Hofstra (noon) and Penn State against Hartford (2:30 p.m.). Admission to the Penn State Classic and to all home men's soccer games is free.
The Nittany Lions are coming off a 1-1 showing at last weekend's Wolstein Classic, Ohio State's annual home tournament. Versus Cal State Fullerton on Sept. 4, senior forward Jason Yeisley (Allentown, Pa.), off a pass from sophomore midfielder Mackenzie Arment (Manheim, Pa.), gave PSU a first half lead with his third goal of the season but the Lions could not hold the advantage and fell to the Titans in overtime, 2-1. In the tournament finale on Sept. 6, Penn State used a beautiful goal by sophomore forward Corey Hertzog (Reading, Pa.) the 89th minute to get past Gonzaga, 1-0.
Yeisley, in his first week of action since October 2007, quickly regained the form that made him a two-time All-Big Ten selection, totaling three goals and one assist. In recognition of his standout performance through the season's opening week, he was honored as Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week and on the Soccer America Team of the Week. Yeisley isn't Penn State's lone weapon, however, as seven players have earned points. Hertzog and junior midfielder Matheus Braga (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) are tied for second on the team in scoring, with each tallying one goal and two assists.
The Nittany Lion defense has been solid early on, recording two shutouts. Central defenders sophomore Mark Fetrow (West Chester, Pa.) and junior Andres Casais (Caracas, Venezuela) have formed an excellent partnership while sophomore Justin Lee (Derwood, Md.) and redshirt junior Andy Parr have been sound on the wings. Goalkeeper Warren Gross (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) has started all three games, notching nine saves and boasting a 0.65 goals against average.
Warren Gross has earned two shutouts through the season's first three games |
Hofstra split its first two outings of the season, defeating Stony Brook, 1-0, on Sept. 1 before falling to Fairleigh Dickinson, 4-1, on Sept. 6. Sophomore midfielder Brett Carrington is the Pride's top scoring threat after leading the team with 16 points (7 goals, 2 assists) in 2008. Rob Youhill, a senior midfielder who is tied for fifth place on Hofstra's career assists list, junior forward Johannes Grahn, the team's second leading scorer a year ago (4 goals, 2 assists), and Stephan Berea, a freshman midfielder who netted the game winner over Stony Brook, are also key members of the offense. The defense is headlined by All-CAA First Team selection Richard Martinez. Goalkeeper Greg Cumpstone started 12 games a year ago in his freshman campaign and recorded seven saves in each of the first two contests this season.
Penn State has never faced Hofstra in the 99-year history of the program, marking the second consecutive weekend that it has matched up with a new opponent. Last Sunday, the Nittany Lions won their inaugural meeting with Gonzaga, 1-0, at Ohio State's Wolstein Classic.
Hartford, selected to place fourth in the America East in the preseason coaches' poll, has opened the season with back-to-back shutouts of Bryant (1-0) and Massachusetts (2-0). The Hawks' offense begins and ends with senior forward Carlos Villa. In 2008, he led the team in points with 27 (12 goals, 3 assists), 21 more than the second highest total. He is off to a fast start in 2009, netting both goals in Hartford's win over UMass on Sept. 5. Patrick Boucher and Ivan Guarin lend support on the attack. The Hawks' defense, anchored by goalkeeper Nenad Cudic, has performed well, allowing just three shots on goal and 12 total shots through two games.
The Nittany Lions tied Hartford in the teams' lone meeting, a 2-2 draw on Sept. 27, 1998 at the Army Invitational in West Point, N.Y. Penn State is 3-1-1 all-time against the America East Conference, having faced Vermont (1-0-0), Boston University (0-1-1), and New Hampshire (2-0-0).
Ohio State head coach John Bluem, in his 13th season in Columbus, leads a young but talented squad. He returns three of his top four scorers in Andrew Magill (3 goals, 6 assists), Konrad Warzycha (3 goals, 4 assists), and Joshua Breto (2 goals, 3 assists) from 2008 but two freshmen, Austin McAnena and Eric Schrigley, have accounted for the Buckeyes' two goals thus far this season. Senior Doug Verhoff, the MVP of the 2009 Wolstein Classic, junior Matt Gold, and sophomore David Tiemstra are Ohio State's top defenders.
Fans can follow all of the Nittany Lion men's soccer action at the Penn State Classic on the Internet with live stats and instant scoring updates from Gametracker or with a live audio and video webcast. Find links on the official website of Nittany Lion athletics, www.GoPSUsports.com. Penn State men's soccer supporters can also keep up-to-date on the team throughout the season with exclusive notes, information, and photos by way of Twitter. Go to twitter.com and search psusportsjr to become a follower.
The Nittany Lions will return to the road next weekend, traveling south for a pair of contests in the state of Virginia. On Fri., Sept. 18, Penn State will take on Old Dominion in an 8 p.m. match-up in Norfolk. Pupil and teacher will meet as Monarchs head coach Alan Dawson played under Nittany Lion head coach Barry Gorman at Orangefield Boys School in Belfast, Northern Ireland as a youth. Penn State will then trek from the coast to the mountains to clash with James Madison on Sun., Sept. 20 (2 p.m.) in Harrisonburg. The Dukes came to University Park in 2008 and escaped with a 1-1 tie.