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Oct. 15, 2016
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Behind a header from senior Robby Sagel (Las Vegas, Nev.), the Penn State men's soccer team notched a 1-0 double overtime Big Ten Conference victory over No. 19 Michigan State Saturday, Oct. 15 at Jeffrey Field.
The win marked the first time the Nittany Lions (6-6-1, 3-3-0) have defeated a top 20 opponent since Sept.13, 2015 when they beat then-No. 10 Indiana. Furthermore, the Penn State goal that night also came from Sagel as he scored from six-yards out off a corner kick.
"It's terrific and it's what we have to do to move forward," said Bob Warming. "We've given up way too many goals. We've given up 16 goals, that's how many goals you give up in a year at the most. I give a lot of credit to Robby and a lot of credit to Mitchel Bringolf. Mitchel was a top-class centerback tonight, top class"
Sagel's goal was the second of his career donning the Blue and White, while Riley Grant (Copley, Ohio) picked up his first point of the season on the assist. Penn State took nine shots on the night, three of which landed on goal. Redshirt-junior Evan Finney (San Francisco, Calif.) recorded his second shutout of the week making two saves.
Michigan State managed seven shots, two of which reached the goal. Michael Marcantogini paced the Spartans with three shots and one on goal, while four other MSU players had shots on the night. Goalkeeper Jimmy Hague made two saves and gave up one goal for the Spartans in 103:27 minutes of action.
The opening half against the Spartans proved to be the battle of the defenses as both teams managed just three shots with Michigan State having the only shot that reached the net.
The second half started off much quicker as both teams fired off shots that reached net and tested the keepers for nearly the first time in the match. Despite the quick start to the half, the teams ended the half with six shots apiece with Finney adding his second save of the night and Hague making his first of the evening.
The Blue and White's biggest opportunity of the match to that point came five minutes into the overtime period when Grant worked his way past a MSU defender and made a pass to Aymar Sigue (Alberta, Canada). Sigue made a one-touch pass to Dayonn Harris (Ontario, Canada), gathered the ball at his feet and took a shot from two-yards out that went a few inches wide of the net to keep the match scoreless in the overtime period.
Three minutes later, Harris collected the ball on the left side of the field and dribbled it into the box where he was fouled six-yards out. Connor Maloney (Harrisburg, Pa.) took the penalty kick for the Blue and White and tried to drive it past the keeper in the left corner of the net but Hague jumped up and made the leaping save sending the match into its second overtime period.
With time dwindling down and the match looking like it was going to end in a tie, Penn State earned a free kick that was just across midfield with 1:42 left on the clock. Grant took the kick for the Nittany Lions and lofted it onto the head of Sagel. Sagel leaped up and headed the ball down into the ground and into the bottom right corner of the net to score the game-winner for the Blue and White.
The Nittany Lions will be back in action Tuesday, Oct. 18 when No. 23 Akron visits Jeffrey Field for a 7 p.m. match. The Blue and White will honor Ability Athletes as well as former men's soccer player Brett Gravatt at the mid-week non-conference match. Furthermore, the match will be the last Penn State regular season game featured live on the Big Ten Network.