Oct. 4, 2009
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Penn State men's soccer team got an early goal from junior midfielder Matheus Braga (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and brilliant goalkeeper play from redshirt sophomore Warren Gross (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) to down defending Big Ten champion Michigan State (5-3-1, 0-2-0 Big Ten), 1-0, on Sunday afternoon in East Lansing, Mich. The victory, seen by a national television audience on the Big Ten Network, keeps the Nittany Lions undefeated in Big Ten play (2-0) and ups their overall record to 7-3-1.
Braga's fifth goal of the season proved to be the deciding factor in the game but it was a call in the 52nd minute that defined the decisive second half. Sophomore defender Mark Fetrow (West Chester, Pa.) was issued his second yellow card of the game on a non-contact play and was sent off, forcing the Nittany Lions to compete down a man for the final 38 minutes. Gross and the Penn State defense were up to the task, however, holding the Spartans scoreless.
Gross recorded four saves en route to his Big Ten leading sixth shutout of the season. With the standout performance, his goals against average dips to an impressive 0.48.
"Our guys did well," said Penn State head coach Barry Gorman. "I thought we defended big time. We defended like a very mature team."
Penn State's go ahead score came just 10 minutes into game when sophomore forward Corey Hertzog (Reading, Pa.) was taken down on a run, drawing a foul and a resulting free kick. From 25 yards straight out, Matheus Braga fired a shot that glanced off a Michigan State defender, who was stationed on the left side of its wall, and bounded into the lower right corner of the goal.
Gross kept the Spartans off the board with a terrific save with 20 minutes left in the first half. Michigan State leading scorer Domenic Barone got free on the left wing, earning a one-on-one opportunity with Gross. The redshirt sophomore came off his line, cut off the angle, and secured the ball with a diving stab.
Senior forward Jason Yeisley (Allentown, Pa.) had two chances to build on Penn State's lead but one shot from just inside the 18 went high while another was taken off his foot, after a pinpoint pass into the box by Andy Parr (Hummelstown, Pa.), by Michigan State goalkeeper Avery Steinlage.
Play was even in the second half until Mark Fetrow was targeted for his second yellow card. With just 10 men on the field, Penn State was forced to become more defensive minded in order to hold the lead. Exchanging offense for defense, Corey Hertzog went to the bench and was replaced by freshman Brian Forgue (Glenmoore, Pa.). The lone forward remaining on the pitch, Jason Yeisley, was key, going sideline from sideline and harassing the Michigan State back line in order to slow the Spartans' transition game.
Michigan State outshot Penn State in the second half, 6-3, but the collective Nittany Lion team defensive effort was outstanding, limiting the number of legitimate Spartans' scoring opportunities. The play of starting defenders sophomore Justin Lee (Derwood, Md.), redshirt junior Andy Parr, and junior Andres Casais (Caracas, Venezuela) highlighted the performance.
The Nittany Lions return to action next weekend when it hosts No. 25 Northwestern (4-1-3, 0-0-0 Big Ten) at Jeffrey Field on Sun., Oct. 11 at 2 p.m. Penn State has dominated the all-time series, holding a 21-3-1 record, but fell to the Wildcats twice last year, once in the regular season (2-1 at Evanston) and once in the postseason at the Big Ten Championship (2-1 in double overtime). The last time the Lions welcomed NU to Happy Valley, in 2007, the Wildcats couldn't uphold their No. 3 national ranking and were sent away 2-1 losers.