Sept. 17, 2010
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The No. 23 Penn State men's soccer team (4-1-0) pulled a win out of the thin air of Colorado Springs on Friday night, defeating Air Force (1-4-0), 2-0, on the first leg of its two-game Rocky Mountain road swing. With the victory, the Nittany Lions move to 3-0 in games played away from Happy Valley this season.
"(Air Force) is one of the toughest if not the toughest place to play in America," said Penn State head coach Bob Warming. "With the altitude at 6700 feet, there is a reason why they don't get a lot of home games. They are a tough team to play against and a tough opponent to break down. It doesn't make for a smooth game. I am proud of the team for getting the shutout and the road win."
Junior defender Mark Fetrow (West Chester, Pa.) netted the game winner in the first half with his first goal of the season and the second of his career. Freshman forward Jordan Tyler (Rochester, Mich.) earned his first career assist on the play. Junior forward Corey Hertzog (Reading, Pa.) sealed the victory with a second half goal, his team-high and Big Ten-leading sixth of the year. Junior midfielder Matheus Braga (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), who came into the ranked No. 1 in the nation in assists, notch his seventh of 2010 on Hertzog's score.
Redshirt junior goalkeeper Warren Gross (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) recorded three saves en route to his third shutout of the season. The Nittany Lion defense was strong throughout, not allowing a shot until more than 27 minutes into the game. Penn State outshot Air Force, 15-11, and had a 6-3 advantage in shots on goal.
Penn State scored first for the fifth consecutive game, staking a 1-0 lead in the 23rd minute. After an Air Force foul, Matheus Braga initiated the scoring play off a free kick. Putting the ball into the box, it went uncontrolled until Jordan Tyler possessed it and passed it to Mark Fetrow. Using his 6-5 frame, Fetrow headed the ball home over the reach of Falcons' goalkeeper Matt Underwood. The goal was Penn State's first of the season scored off a set piece.
The Nittany Lions gained an insurance goal nearly 14 minutes into the second half when the potent scoring tandem of Matheus Braga and Corey Hertzog struck once again. Braga's pass over the Air Force defense was secured by Hertzog between two Falcon defenders. Working his magic again, he chipped a shot from 15 yards out over the goalkeeper and into net.
The Nittany Lions will conclude their Colorado road trip on Sunday when they take on the University of Denver (3-1-1) at 3 p.m. ET at the Pioneers' CIBER Field in the heart of the Mile High City. Penn State has never faced Denver in the 100-year history of the program.