| 1 | 0 |
| Jeffrey Field | University Park, Pa. | 4,052 | |
| MATCH LINKS |
| Box Score | Photo Gallery |
| FINAL STATISTICS |
Sept. 5, 2014
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The 16th-ranked Nittany Lion men's soccer team downed Keystone State foe Temple, 1-0, on Friday night in front of a season-high 4,052 fans at Jeffrey Field. Senior captain Owen Griffith (Lewisburg, Pa.) nodded home the game-winner a minute shy of halftime to pace the Nittany Lions to their third straight win on a hot and humid evening.
"The game was won in the second half even though we didn't score then," Head coach Bob Warming said, referring to his team's previous strong performances in the second stanza. "Although I think we scored more than we were credited. We hit a couple crossbars and a both posts so we had a pretty good night considering this heat and humidity. That's the first game in my career that we stopped midway through."
Penn State (3-0-0) pushed the tempo from the onset, looking to keep the typically fast-starting Temple (1-2-0) side at bay. The Nittany Lions' strategy worked as the Owls were held without a shot on goal in the first half, while Penn State pushed all the momentum toward Dan Scheck's net (4 saves).
Toward the end of the half, the Lions' opportunities came nearer to opening the score line. Penn State was creating chances down the left flank off the play of Drew Klingenberg (Gibsonia, Pa.).
While Klingenberg's crosses failed to connect, it opened space on the right side of the field where Brandon Savino (Glen Ridge, N.J.) was taken down 30 yards from net on the ride wing. Mark Wadid's (Mississauga, Ontario) ensuing free kick, the second within minutes, was cleared away for a corner kick with a little less than 90 seconds remaining in the half.
Wadid's third attempt was a perfectly placed in-swinger to Griffith who made no mistake and slotted it home in the left-side netting. Wadid earned his third assist of the year on the play, while Griffith bagged his first goal of the season. Coming into this season Wadid hadn't assisted in 21 matches, but he has three in as many matches played.
The Lions out-shot Temple, 6-2, while earning a 3-1 edge in corner kicks for the first 45 minutes.
The tenor of the game changed in the second half, however, as the Owls tried to take charge down a goal. TU's Stefan Mueller's long-range attempt, which was partially blocked, resulted in Temple's first shot on goal of the game in the 51st minute. The shot on goal was the first by a Penn State opponent in 208 minutes, 57 seconds.
Shots were even in the second half, 8-8, with Andrew Wolverton (Atlanta, Ga.) required to make three saves for his 26th career shutouts, just three shy of the Penn State all-time record.
Penn State and Temple traded blows in the second half, with two PSU goals called back due to offisdes off the feet of Mikey Minutillo (San Jose, Calif.) and Randy Falk (Tewksbury Township, Pa.). Additionally, Wadid struck the right post in the 86th minute and then the crossbar off a free kick a minute later.
The chippy game saw 29 fouls whistled as Temple was carded twice and PSU's Minutillo booked as well.
MATCH NOTES
-- Griffith scored his fourth career goal for the Blue and White.
-- The Nittany Lions improved to 40-18-9 all-time against Temple. Friday's meeting was the first between the two long-time rivals since 1997 when the Owls won, 2-0.
-- Penn State honored its 1954 and 1955 national championship teams at halftime as members of the squads were announced. PSU won 11 Intercollegiate Soccer Football Association (ISFA) titles from 1926-55, in the pre-NCAA era (1959 onward).
Said Warming of the 60th anniversary for the 1954 and 1955 teams: "I told our guys, `If you win it this year what would the world be like in 2074?' That's what it's like for those guys. Imagine all the change they've seen in 60 years and how special it is for them to come back here and see 4000 people in the stands. Imagine seeing this kind of atmosphere and this kind of quality soccer on this kind of quality field. I'm so happy that so many of them are alive and well and able to travel to enjoy our games."
-- Penn State improved to 309-77-34 all-time at Jeffrey Field for a winning percentage of .776. Penn State is 18-3-3 at Jeffrey Field since 2012 and 11-1-1 in the past 13 matches.
-- The Nittany Lions welcomed nearly had 4,052 fans at Friday's match, the largest crowd for a men's soccer game at Jeffrey Field since an Aug. 31, 2012 game against Duquesne that drew 4,292. That game finished 1-0 as well.
-- So far this season, Penn State men's soccer has attracted 9,996 fans to Jeffrey Field for an average of 3,332.
NEXT MATCH
The Nittany Lions travel to James Madison for their first road game of the season on Monday at 5 p.m. The Dukes defeated UNC Greensboro in North Carolina on Friday night for their first win of the season.