No. 11 Penn State Closes Week One with Sunday Match Against SyracuseNo. 11 Penn State Closes Week One with Sunday Match Against Syracuse
Mark Selders

No. 11 Penn State Closes Week One with Sunday Match Against Syracuse

Opens in a new window Game Notes

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State men's soccer team, under fourth-year head coach Jeff Cook, closes out week one of the 2021 season with a home match-up against Syracuse on Sunday, Aug. 29 at Jeffrey Field. The match is slated for a 7 p.m. kick and will be streamed live on Big Ten Network+.
 
GAME INFORMATION

  • Date: Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021 | Time: 7 p.m.
  • Location: University Park, Pa. | Venue: Jeffrey Field
  • Live Stats: gopsusports.com | Watch: BTN+ ($)

Parking Information
Parking for all Penn State Athletics' non-football events will require a valid permit or payment of the applicable parking fee for campus lots. Fans with valid Penn State University Park parking permits will be permitted to park at non-football athletics events for free, following Transportation Services parking policies and access.
 
For men's soccer matches, fans are asked to park in the Jordan East, Stadium West or Porter North lots. Fans without a permit are encouraged to prepay for event parking at a discounted rate of $5.50 through ParkMobile - https://psu.parkmobile.io/. Prepayment is available through 11:59 p.m. the day prior to each event. Event day parking will be $10 per vehicle and is cash only/can be purchased on the ParkMobile app. The East Deck is also available for most events for $1 per hour.
 
Parking for all non-football athletics events is managed by Penn State Transportation Services. For more information or questions, visit transportation.psu.edu or email parking@psu.edu.
 
LAST TIME OUT

  • Penn State opened the 2021 season Thursday, playing host to the George Mason Patriots at Jeffrey Field. The match ended in an official 1-1 draw in the 85th minute due to lightning throughout the area that was not letting up any time soon.
  • The Nittany Lions struck first in the 38th minute with a goal from junior Liam Butts. Classmates Alex Stevenson and Andrew Privett were credited with assists as Stevenson crossed the ball into the six from the right side and Privett faked out the Mason goalkeeper with a back-heel pass to Butts who was wide open at the back post for the score.
  • The Patriots tied the game in the 66th minute on a corner kick.
  • Penn State continued to test the George Mason defense, including a great look at the far post by redshirt senior Pierre Reedy in the 80th minute, but could not find the go-ahead goal before the game was suspended.
  • Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Owen Elliott made his third career start and finished with a career-high five saves.

KEEP IT 100

  • Penn State returns 100 percent of its scoring offense in 2021, including top point scorers in Danny Bloyou, Peter Mangione and Pierre Reedy.
  • The Nittany Lions averaged 2.15 goals per game in 2020-21 to pace the league and rank 13th nationally.
  • They also had three games with four goals for the most four-goal games in a season since 2010.

NATIONAL RECOGNITION

  • Penn State starts the 2021 season ranked No. 11 in the preseason poll for United Soccer Coaches.
  • The Nittany Lions broke into the top 10 at No. 10 in Top Drawer Soccer's preseason poll. 

SCOUTING SYRACUSE

  • The Syracuse Orange are led by head coach Ian McIntyre who enters his 22nd season at the helm in Syracuse. The Orange opened their 2021 season at home on Thursday with a 2-0 win over Drexel.
  • Last season, Syracuse went 2-7-4 overall and 0-6-3 in ACC play. Noah Singelmann paced the Orange with 10 points on three goals and a team-high four assists and returns to the roster in 2021. Deandre Kerr led the team with four goals as he also returns this season.
  • In net, Russell Shealy returns as the minutes leader from 2020-21, playing in 10 games with two shutouts. He held a 1.31 goals-against average and a 0.714 save percentage with 35 saves.

PENN STATE AGAINST SYRACUSE

  • Penn State holds a 30-3-5 all-time series advantage over Syracuse.
  • The two teams could have once been considered rivals back in the early to mid-1900s, matching up 36 times between 1920-60. The Nittany Lions and the Orange since 1960 have only met up twice, in 2007 and 2014 with Syracuse taking both contests, including a second-round NCAA Tournament win seven seasons ago.

NEXT TIME OUT
Penn State hits the road for the first time this season in week two, traveling to Morgantown, West Virginia to take on the West Virginia Mountaineers on Friday, Sept. 3. The Nittany Lions then return to Happy Valley to host American on Monday, Sept. 6 at 7 p.m. at Jeffrey Field.