Sept. 27, 2009
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State men's soccer team (5-3-1, 1-0-0 Big Ten) used goals from the forward tandem of Corey Hertzog (Reading, Pa.) and Jason Yeisley (Allentown, Pa.) and a stellar defensive effort to gain a decisive 2-0 Big Ten season opening win over No. 22 Michigan (7-2-0, 0-1-0 Big Ten) on Sunday afternoon at a wet and sloppy Jeffrey Field.
The victory ups the Nittany Lions' 2009 home record to 4-0-1 and increases their scoring advantage at Jeffrey Field this season to an impressive 14-2 margin.
Hertzog's goal was his team-high fifth of the season and also represented his third game winner. Yeisley assisted on Hertzog's score and added his fourth goal of the year later, giving him three points for the game. The duo tops the Nittany Lions in points with 12.
Junior midfielder Matheus Braga (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and senior midfielder Frank Costigliola (Dix Hills, N.Y.) also recorded assists on the day, notching their third and first of the 2009 campaign, respectively.
Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Warren Gross (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) offered another gritty performance, fighting through a hip injury to record his fourth shutout of the season. He registered four saves for the game, including two critical stops in the first half to keep the game knotted at 0-0.
The starting back line of Andy Parr (Hummelstown, Pa.), Andres Casais (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), Mark Fetrow (West Chester, Pa.), and Justin Lee (Derwood, Md.) played superbly, holding the Wolverines, who entered the game with 23 goals in eight games, scoreless while limiting them to just four shots on goal.
In the first half, Penn State compiled an 8-3 advantage in shots but could get none on goal. The Lions best chance to go on top came in the waning moments of the opening period when Frank Costigliola crossed a pass into the box where Treavor Gelsinger (Shady Grove, Pa.) was positioned. The junior forward got off a strong header but the shot went just wide of an open goal.
The Nittany Lions jumped to the lead in the 53rd minute, converting on a beautiful run. Braga triggered the scoring play with a picture perfect crossing pass from far to near midfield. Yeisley raced ahead to control the pass and centered it to Hertzog, who was racing down the middle of the field. Hertzog beat his mark to the ball and booted it home.
Penn State put the game out of Michigan's reach at the 79:19 mark. Costigliola was awarded a corner kick and made the most of his opportunity. He sent it into the box towards the far post where Yeisley got a head on the ball and blasted it towards goal, where it glanced off a Wolverine defender and into net.
The Nittany Lions will wrap up their three-game home stand on Wed., Sept. 30 when Penn (3-2-2) visits Jeffrey Field for a 7 p.m. contest. Penn State holds a 19-6-3 series record versus the Quakers. In the teams' last meeting in University Park, in 2007, the Lions came away 3-2 victors on the strength of two goals from Jason Yeisley.