Reedy’s Late PK Lifts Penn State Over WisconsinReedy’s Late PK Lifts Penn State Over Wisconsin
Mark Selders/Penn State Athletics

Reedy’s Late PK Lifts Penn State Over Wisconsin

Opens in a new window Box Score Opens in a new window Head Coach Jeff Cook Postgame Press Conference Opens in a new window Pierre Reedy Postgame Press Conference
Box Score

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State men's soccer team (6-1-0, 6-1-0 Big Ten) posted its third-straight shutout and fourth-straight win with a 1-0 victory over the visiting Wisconsin Badgers (1-6-1, 1-6-1 Big Ten) Saturday afternoon at Jeffrey Field.

"I'm really proud of the guys for digging in in a really difficult game," said head coach Jeff Cook. "At this time of the year, we have to find ways to get points on the board in league standings and it certainly was not easy today. But great credit to our players for staying disciplined – I thought we had an improved performance in the second half, delighted for Pierre to score the game-winning goal here at Jeffrey Field."

The Badgers outshot the Nittany Lions, 4-2, in the opening 19 minutes of the game, but all of those shots from both teams were off target.

Penn State got its first look at the net with a shot from redshirt senior Brandon Hackenberg in the 23rd minute, but it was saved by Wisconsin's goalkeeper Carter Abbott to keep the home team off the board.

Wisconsin continued to threaten offensively, including a shot from the top corner of the 18 that nearly found the top-left corner of the net but sophomore goalkeeper Kris Shakes made an incredible save to deny him.


After a scoreless first half, the second half would lean more in favor of Penn State from an offensive perspective, as the Nittany Lions had a 13-4 advantage in shots in the second 45.

The Badgers nearly struck net in the 85th minute with a shot that rang off the crossbar.

In the 87th minute, freshman Tyger Evans was able to draw a foul in the box to set up a penalty kick for Penn State, its first of the season. Redshirt senior Pierre Reedy faked Abbott the other way and was able to slot it home to give the Nittany Lions the one-goal lead with just over three minutes remaining in regulation.


Penn State nearly had a second goal in the closing seconds of the game, as Hackenberg outsprinted a Badger defender before getting tripped in the box by Abbott to set up another penalty kick. This attempt by Reedy, however, to keep the 1-0 scoreline.

Shakes finished with three saves and his third shutout of the season in between the pipes.

UP NEXT
Penn State travels to College Park, Md. to face the Maryland Terrapins on Wednesday, March 31 in the last scheduled game of the regular season. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. and will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network.

This will be the second match-up between the Nittany Lions and the Terrapins this season as part of a home-and-home. Penn State won the first game in University Park, 3-2, on Feb. 19.

GAME NOTES

  • Reedy netted his second game-winning goal of the season.
  • Shakes recorded his third shutout of the season in net and seventh in his career. He is 5-0-0 this season with a 0.80 goals-against average and .826 save percentage.
  • The Nittany Lion offense recorded 18 shots against the Badgers. They have now taken 13 or more shots in five of seven games this season as they continue to pace the league in that category.
  • The Penn State defense posted its third-straight shutout. The last time Penn State posted three-straight winning shutouts was during Coach Cook's first season in 2018 (vs. Stony Brook, 3-0, 10/9/18; vs. Wisconsin, 1-0, 10/14/18; vs. Detroit Mercy, 2-0, 10/17/18).