Oct. 12, 2014
LEWISBURG, Pa. - The third-ranked Nittany Lion men's soccer team was out of sync in an uncharacteristic 4-0 loss at Maryland's Ludwig Field Sunday afternoon in front of 2,502 fans.
Despite the loss, Penn State remains in first place in the Big Ten with 12 points in five games. Michigan sits in second with eight points from five games, while Indiana and Michigan State have seven points from four games. Maryland has seven points from five contests.
Penn State (10-1-1, 4-1-0 Big Ten) lost its title as the final unbeaten team in Division I men's soccer by allowing two goals in each half. Maryland (5-5-2, 2-2-1 Big Ten) received both first-half goals from Mael Corboz, scoring four times on 12 just 12 shots.
Corboz scored 12 minutes into the game on a cross into the penalty area and into the lower-right side netting. He'd double his total in the 32nd minute, slotting home his fourth penalty kick to the left past Andrew Wolverton (Atlanta, Ga.) The senior goalkeeper dove to the correct side, but the well-placed shot was too quick for Wolverton.
Despite the even footing in first-half shots (4-4) and a strong start to the second half, Maryland's Alex Shinsky put away a rebound off the cross bar in the 53rd minute to put the Terps up 3-0.
Penn State put the pressure on the Maryland defense, garnering several corner kicks and had a great opportunity eat into the lead in the 67th minute, but Eli Dennis's (Easton, Md.) header was saved by a diving Zach Steffen to preserve the shutout.
Maryland put its final stamp on the game when Tsubasa Endoh found the back of the net from 15 yards out on the right wing. His far-post chance saw Wolverton get a hand to it, but it scored anyway.
MATCH NOTES
• Penn State failed to score for the first time this season and trailed for the only time all season in Sunday's game.
• The shutout was the first for PSU since the NCAA Third Round game at New Mexico last season (Dec. 1, 2013).
• Penn State fell to 17-21-5 all-time against Maryland. PSU last defeated the Terrapins on Sept. 21, 2005 and haven't scored at Ludwig Field since 2004.
• The loss snapped PSU's seven-game winning streak, its longest since 2005 (10).
• Penn State is 12-3-2 in its last 17 Big Ten regular-season matches. Penn State sits in first place in the Big Ten with 12 points from five games. Michigan is in second place with eight.
• The last time Penn State gave up four goals in a game was Oct. 28, 2012 vs. Ohio State (4-4). Sunday was the largest margin of defeat since Aug. 31, 2007 when the Lions lost 4-0 vs. Syracuse in Columbus, Ohio.
• Coming into Sunday's game, Penn State had allowed only three goals all season.
NEXT MATCH
Penn State returns to action Saturday at 7 p.m. against Michigan State at Jeffrey Field. The Spartans were 2-1 winners over Wisconsin this weekend in comeback fashion.