Sept. 24, 2010
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The No. 20 Penn State men's soccer team dropped its Big Ten opener in heart wrenching fashion on Friday night at Jeffrey Field, surrendering a goal to rival Indiana (4-3-0, 1-0-0 Big Ten) with just 11 seconds remaining in the game to give the Hoosiers a 3-2 victory. With the loss, the Nittany Lions fall to 5-2-0 on the season.
Junior forward Corey Hertzog (Reading, Pa.) had another sterling performance to lead Penn State, scoring his eighth goal and tallying his fourth assist of the season. The nation's leader in points heading into the game with the Hoosiers, Hertzog reached the 20-point milestone just seven games into the season with his effort. Senior midfielder Matheus Braga (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) scored his second goal in as many games. Drew Cost (West Chester, Pa.), Matt Smallwood (Cochranville, Pa.), and Mackenzie Arment (Manheim, Pa.) each recorded one assist.
Penn State looked to have the game won when Corey Hertzog scored in the game's final minute but the Nittany Lions had victory wrested from their clutches when the potential goal was disallowed by an offsides call. Just seconds later, Indiana countered and Will Bruin netted a goal in the game's waning moments to steal the Big Ten battle for the Hoosiers.
After Penn State couldn't convert on two legitimate scoring chances early on in the first half by Hertzog, Indiana took advantage of one of its own, as Nikita Kotlov tallied his second goal of the season in the eighth minute. Redshirt junior goalkeeper Warren Gross (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) got a hand on Kotlov's hard shot from the far wing but the ball popped up into the air and bounded weakly into net.
The Nittany Lions pressed to gain the equalizer, earning several viable scoring opportunities, including one each by Drew Cost and Justin Lee (Derwood, Md.). In the 25th minute, Cost found himself with an open look at the goal and sent in a bending shot that just missed curling into the upper 90 on the far post. Minutes later, Lee blasted a shot from 30 yards out that IU goalkeeper Luis Soffner had to snag with a diving save.
Penn State finally broke through to tie the game with less than five minutes remaining in the first half. Corey Hertzog lobbed a centering pass from the far wing into the box that connected with the head of an Indiana defender. The missed clear came to Matheus Braga, who chested it to himself, and then got off a left footed rocket from 12 yards out towards the far post. The ball whistled past the IU keeper and a Hoosier defender's attempt to clear it before it crossed the line was too late.
In the second half, after back-and-forth action for the first 24-plus minutes, the Nittany Lions appeared to gain control of the game when Corey Hertzog gave them the lead. In the 70th minute, junior Matt Smallwood started the play by connecting on a pass with Mackenzie Arment along the near sideline. Arment then sent into the box a picture perfect centering pass that Hertzog headed into net.
Penn State, however, could not salt the game away and, less than eight minutes later, Indiana once again tied the game with a goal from Harrison Petts.
The final minutes of the contest were spirited and hard fought as each team tried to gain the deciding goal. As neither team was able to gain an advantage, the stage was set for the late-game controversy and drama.
Penn State will finish out a two-game home stand by welcoming regional opponent Saint Francis (3-2-0) to Happy Valley on Wed., Sept. 29 for a 7 p.m. contest at Jeffrey Field. In the teams' last match-up, the Nittany Lions routed the Red Flash, 5-0, to open the 2009 season. Penn State holds a perfect 9-0-0 all-time record versus Saint Francis.