Sept. 28, 2010
Penn State vs. Saint Francis Game Notes
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The No. 24-ranked Penn State men's soccer team (5-2-0) will return to non-conference action on Wednesday evening when it welcomes Saint Francis (4-2-0) to Jeffrey Field for a 7 p.m. contest. The match-up of regional foes is the first of six mid-week out of conference games for the Nittany Lions.
Penn State dropped its Big Ten opener in heartbreaking fashion on Friday night at Jeffrey Field, surrendering a goal to rival Indiana in the closing seconds of the game to give the Hoosiers a 3-2 victory. The Nittany Lions looked to have netted the game winner in the final minute but a goal by junior forward Corey Hertzog (Reading, Pa.) was disallowed by an offsides call. Hertzog scored his eighth goal and earned his fourth assist of the season in the contest while senior midfielder Matheus Braga (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) netted his second goal in as many games. Drew Cost (West Chester, Pa.), Matt Smallwood (Cochranville, Pa.), and Mackenzie Arment (Manheim, Pa.) each tallied one assist.
With four wins through its first six games, Saint Francis is off to its best start in 22 years. The Red Flash is currently riding a two-game win streak after knocking off IPFW, 3-1, on Sept. 17 and Howard, 3-0, on Sept. 25. Senior midfielder Patrick Fleming and sophomore forward Wayne Tiller power the Saint Francis attack, leading the team with three goals each. The senior tandem of Owen Gombani (2 goals, 2 assists) and Sean O'Reilly (2 goals) provides the Red Flash with additional offensive options. The Saint Francis defense has allowed just five goals, including three in one game, a road loss to James Madison. Goalkeepers Daniel Valcicak and Thomas McWilliams have each seen playing time, with Valcicak getting the majority of starts (4), including the last two games.
Penn State owns a perfect 8-0-0 all-time record against Saint Francis in a series that dates back to 1993. The Nittany Lions have dominated those eight meetings, outscoring the Red Flash by a combined score of 31-2. A year ago, Penn State claimed a 5-0 win at Jeffrey Field, getting two goals from Jason Yeisley, one goal and two assists from Matheus Braga and two assists from Corey Hertzog.
Fans can follow all of the action of the Penn State-Saint Francis match on the Internet with live stats and instant scoring updates from GameTracker or with a live video webcast on BigTenNetwork.com. Find links on the official website of Nittany Lion athletics, www.GoPSUsports.com. The game will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network on Thurs., Sept. 30 at 4 p.m.
Penn State will make its first Big Ten road trip of the season this weekend, traveling to Ann Arbor to face Michigan on Sun., Oct. 3. The game, which will air tape delayed on the Big Ten Network at 7 p.m., is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start. The Nittany Lions are 9-3-1 all-time versus the Wolverines, including last season's 2-0 victory at Jeffrey Field.