UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State men's soccer team returns to Happy Valley and Jeffrey Field for the regular season finale with Rutgers on Sunday, Oct. 28 at 4 p.m. The home finale also marks Senior Night, as the Nittany Lion graduating seniors will be honored at the conclusion of the match.
FOLLOW ALONG
Sunday's match will be streamed live on BTN+. Viewers must have a login to watch. Fans can also follow along by following the team on Twitter, @PennStateMSOC.
SENIOR NIGHT
Following the conclusion of the match, Penn State men's soccer will recognize the team's graduating seniors, including Mitchel Bringolf, Mac Curran, Ryan Gallagher, Brennan Ireland, Travis Keil, Austin Maloney and Noah Pilato. Sunday's Senior Night ceremony is sponsored by the Penn State Alumni Association.
PENN STATE AGAINST RUTGERS
The Nittany Lions and the Scarlet Knights have met 20 times in program history. Penn State leads the series, 12-8-0, including a four-game win streak.
SCOUTING RUTGERS
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights come into the finale with a 4-11-1 overall record and a 2-5-0 record in conference play.
Junior Jordan Hall paces the Scarlet Knights with 13 goals and two assists for 28 total points. Redshirt senior Miles Hackett is the team-leader in assists with four. Senior goalkeeper Rafael Pereira has played all 16 games in net, recording 65 saves with a 2.25 goals against average. Pereira and the defense have posted one shutout this season.
LAST SEASON AGAINST RUTGERS
Penn State routed Rutgers, 6-2, on the road in 2017 as eight Nittany Lions tallied points in the victory. Ethan Beckford scored back-to-back goals and Callum Pritchatt recorded two assists. The Nittany Lions had 17 points on the day with six goals and four assists which is the most since they had 17 points against Penn in a 6-2 victory on Sept. 24, 2014.
LAST TIME OUT
After tying the game in the 84th minute, the Penn State men's soccer team dropped a heartbreaker in double overtime to Maryland, 3-2, on Tuesday, Oct. 23 at Ludwig Field.
The Terps offense pressed early, with redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Josh Levine making his first save in the seventh minute off a Maryland free kick. Maryland took the early lead, going up 1-0 in the 27th minute and then adding another goal in the 44th minute to make it 2-0.
But then literally seconds before the break, junior Aaron Molloy brought the Nittany Lions within one after a corner kick made its way outside the box and to Molloy's right foot. The Dublin, Ireland, native struck it from about 25 yards out right to the left corner of the goal, stunning the Maryland defense.
The Nittany Lions were able to slow down the Terps pressure in the second half, with Levine saving all four of Maryland's shots on net. In the 84th minute, redshirt senior Noah Pilato volleyed the ball of a Maryland defender and put it away in the back of the net to tie the game at two goals each and eventually bring the game to overtime. The goal marks Pilato's first career goal.
After fighting for the golden goal in the first 10 minutes of overtime, the game would find itself in the second overtime with the Terps eventually netting the game-winner in the 107th minute. Levine finished the match with seven saves.
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
The Penn State men's soccer team has four 2018 opponents ranked in the ninth week (Oct. 23) of the United Soccer Coaches' national poll, with two more receiving votes. Indiana (Sept. 30; L, 0-2) remains at No. 2. Michigan State (Sept. 26; L, 0-1) and UCF (Aug. 24; L, 1-2 2OT) round out the top-15 at No. 12 and 13, respectively. James Madison (Oct. 20; L, 0-1) moves into the top-25 after receiving votes the previous week. Rhode Island (Aug. 31; L, 0-1) and Michigan (Sept. 21; T, 1-1 2OT) received votes in this week's poll.
BIG TEN TOURNAMENT RETURNS TO GRAND PARK
The Big Ten men's and women's soccer tournament semifinal and championship games will return to Grand Park in Westfield, Ind. for the 2018 season, as announced by the conference on Sept. 27.
The men's tournament will start with quarterfinal games being played on campus Nov. 3-4. Play will commence at Grand Park on Friday, Nov. 9 with two semifinals and will conclude on Sunday, Nov. 11 with the championship game.
Kickoff times and television coverage for all Big Ten men's and women's soccer tournament games will be announced at a later date.
NEXT TIME OUT
Penn State men's soccer has earned a spot in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals on Sunday, Nov. 4. Opponent, location and time are TBD.
