Penn State Scores Three Unanswered to Top No. 7 Maryland, 3-2, in OvertimePenn State Scores Three Unanswered to Top No. 7 Maryland, 3-2, in Overtime
Craig Houtz

Penn State Scores Three Unanswered to Top No. 7 Maryland, 3-2, in Overtime

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Box Score

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State men's soccer team (9-6-1, 5-2-0 Big Ten) once again showed its persistence and grit to never give up, scoring three unanswered goals after trailing by two early to top No. 7 Maryland (11-3-1, 4-2-1 Big Ten), 3-2, in overtime Tuesday evening at Jeffrey Field.
 
"I just said this to the team, but what our group of players achieved tonight is next to impossible," said head coach Jeff Cook. "In the second half, even one-goal down, I've never been as confident that we would come back and I think they deserve a lot of credit. They simply made it happen. I think it was character, it was willpower, desire, and, of course, no shortage of soccer quality to get the goals and get back in the game. We've obviously lost three games in a row against very good teams in very close fashion. I think 99 percent of teams just give up the way the game unfolded in the early stages, but you saw the response from the guys. This is a night as a coach you'd never forget. I'm really proud of them tonight."
 
On a rainy and windy night in Happy Valley, Maryland played the first half with the wind in its backs. The Terrapins struck first in the 12th minute on a good ball finished in the box to take the early 1-0 lead.
 
The teams then traded shots the next 18 or so minutes, including one on frame for Penn State by redshirt senior Pierre Reedy that was saved by Maryland's keeper Niklas Neumann.
 
After junior goalkeeper Kris Shakes made a save in the 30th minute, the Nittany Lions had an unfortunate turnover in the Terrapin's offensive zone in which Caden Stafford capitalized on to give the visitors a two-goal advantage after 31 minutes of play.
 
As they always do, the Nittany Lions fought back to get on the scoreboard with good sustained pressure and eventually found the back of the net in the 40th minute to make it a one-goal game.
 
Senior Dax Hoffman did a good job to head the ball over to senior Danny Bloyou in the 18 as Bloyou looked like he was going to shoot but didn't get a good position on the ball, but sophomore Peter Mangione was there for the clean up as he squared up to shoot and found upper-90 to get his team on the board.

 
Penn State came out of the halftime break with confidence and determination to find the equalizer as it would play with the wind in the second half.
 
In the 60th minute, senior Seth Kuhn had a great look at net but his non-dominant right-footed shot just rang off the crossbar.
 
Nine minutes later, the Nittany Lions hit post again, this time with Reedy's shot to the near post accidentally blocked at the goal line by Mangione and hit the crossbar to stay out of the net.
 
Maintaining possession, it was only a matter of time that Penn State would record the equalizer which it did in the 72nd minute on Kuhn's first goal of the season. The play was set up as Mangione had a steal on the Maryland throw in and then got through the remaining defenders to cross the ball to Kuhn at the far post for the delicate left-foot finish to tie the game at 2-2.

 
Penn State would again have chances in the next several minutes as junior Liam Butts had two shots on frame that Neumann would save to keep the home team from taking the lead.
 
Regulation would end with Penn State outshooting Maryland 11-2 in the second 45.
 
Overtime started as Penn State won the toss to play with the wind in the first extra 10-minute period. Just over three minutes in, a Terrapins defender would be shown a yellow card as he pulled down Mangione right outside the box to set up a free kick.
 
Junior Andrew Privett, Mangione and Kuhn all stood around the ball and once the whistle was blown, Kuhn had a little flick of a touch as Privett would take a low shot that was deflected and ended up in the back of the net at the far post to send the Nittany Lions home with a golden goal.

 
The Penn State backline, anchored by Shakes, played well in the second half and overtime period to only allow two total shots. The defense also withstood Maryland's potent offense to not allow any corner kicks in the entire game.
 
UP NEXT
Penn State travels to Madison, Wisconsin to face the Wisconsin Badgers in the 2021 regular season finale on Sunday, Oct. 31. The Halloween matchup is set for a 1 p.m. ET/noon CT kickoff and will stream live on B1G+.
 
GAME NOTES

  • Junior Andrew Privett scored his seventh goal of the season to now lead the team in that category, as well as become the Big Ten leader in total goals.
  • Sophomore Peter Mangione scored his sixth goal of the season to tie his career best from a season ago.
  • Senior Seth Kuhn scored his first goal of the season and added the game-winning assist for a single-game season-high three points.
  • Penn State erased a 2-0 deficit to win for the first time since 2019 when it also did so against a ranked Maryland squad at Jeffrey Field in overtime (10/29/19).
  • Five of the last seven games between Penn State and Maryland dating back to the 2016 season have been decided in overtime with the Nittany Lions' record in those games standing at 3-3-1 including Tuesday's win.
  • The Nittany Lions now hold a four-game unbeaten streak (3-0-1) over the Terrapins dating back to the 2019 season for the first time since 1971-74 when they went 1-0-3.
  • The Nittany Lions topped their second ranked opponent of the season, their first ranked win coming at then-No. 22 Rutgers on Oct. 5.
  • Penn State can still clinch the Big Ten regular-season title with a win over Wisconsin on Sunday and a Maryland win over Indiana.