No. 20 Men’s Soccer to Defend Jeffrey Field Against No. 1 SyracuseNo. 20 Men’s Soccer to Defend Jeffrey Field Against No. 1 Syracuse

No. 20 Men’s Soccer to Defend Jeffrey Field Against No. 1 Syracuse

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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- No. 20 Penn State men's soccer squares off against the number one team in the country and 2022 National Champions Syracuse under the lights at Jeffrey Field on Friday, Sept. 1. Kickoff between the Nittany Lions and the Orange is set for 6 p.m. and will be televised live on the Big Ten Network.
 
Penn State looks to build on a strong performance in their home opener against Le Moyne on Sunday afternoon. The Nittany Lions should expect on of their toughest tests of the early season against the Orange. 
 
GAME INFORMATION
vs. Syracuse

  • Date: Friday, Sept. 1, 2023 | Time: 6 p.m. ET
  • Location: University Park Pa. | Venue: Jeffrey Field
  • Live Stats | Watch: Big Ten Network | Notes
  • Admission: Free

GAME PROMOTION
Friday's match is Penn State men's soccer's wear white game. Fans are encouraged to wear white to the game in support of the Nittany Lions.

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.
Spectators can park in Stadium West parking lot for Penn State men's soccer games. Visitors can prepay for parking at a rate of $5.50/game through ParkMobile. The day-of-event rate will be $10/game. Prepayment is required by 11:59pm the night before the event to receive a discounted rate ($5.50/game).

LAST TIME OUT

  • Penn State used a balanced attack to beat Le Moyne 4-0 in their first game at Jeffrey Field this season. 
  • Peter Mangione opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a penalty kick. 
  • Caden Grabfelder notched his first collegiate goal in the 24th minute.
  • Atem Kato got the second-half scoring started early with his first goal as a Nittany Lion in the 49th minute.
  • Van Danielson added his second goal in as many games in the 64th minute to finish the scoring for Penn State. 
  • The four-point margin of victory was Penn State's largest in a home opener since a 5-0 victory against Buffalo in 2010.

NITTANY LIONS IN THE RANKS

  • Penn State is ranked no. 20 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll this week.
  • Kris Shakes was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for his performances against Pitt and Le Moyne. Shakes recorded four saves apiece against the Panthers and Dolphins and currently leads the Big Ten in saves. 
  • Danielson was one of just two Big Ten players to score two goals in the first two games of the season.

SCOUTING THE ORANGE

  • Syracuse finished the 2022 season with a record of 19-2-4 and won the ACC Atlantic Division, ACC Tournament Championship and NCAA National Championship.
  • The Orange currently hold the top spot in the United Soccer Coaches Poll after starting at #1 in the preseason.
  • The matchup against Penn State will be Syracuse's first time on the road this year after securing a 5-0-2 record away from home a season ago.
  • Syracuse has not allowed a goal in either of their two matches during the 2023 season, with victories over Providence (2-0) and Binghampton (3-0).
  • Senior midfielder Lorenzo Bosselli paces the Orange's attack with three goals on the season, including both goals in their season-opening win against Providence.

PENN STATE-SYRACUSE HISTORY 

  • Penn State holds a 31-4-5 all-time record against Syracuse.
  • The Nittany Lions and Orange played a tight contest at Syracuse last season, where the Orange ultimately came out on top 1-0.
  • The last game played in Happy Valley came in 2021, a 3-0 victory for Penn State.

2023 PREVIEW
Strong Schedule

  • Penn State has no shortage of tough opponents throughout the fall, playing the top-two teams at the end of the 2022 season, Syracuse and Indiana. Five of the Nittany Lions opponents finished last season in the top-25 and in the 2023 preseason poll.  

No Place Like Happy Valley

  • Four Nittany Lions return home to use their fifth year of eligibility at Penn State.
  • Starting goalkeeper Kris Shakes makes his return for a final season with eyes from the Big Ten on him as he was named a Preseason Player to Watch.
  • 2023 MLS SuperDraft pick Liam Butts made the decision to return for a fifth season in Happy Valley while pursuing a second undergraduate degree. Butts is a major component of the Nittany Lions offense and brings strength and speed to the attack.
  • Alex Stevenson, a key to the Nittany Lions in both the defense and midfield, joins the blue & white one last time while he completes a second undergraduate degree.
  • Owen Elliott will graduate this fall while playing a fifth season at Penn State. The keeper brings experience and leadership to the program as a veteran player.

2023 Newcomers

  • Penn State welcomed ten incoming freshmen throughout the off season. Among the ten newcomers is no. 6 ranked Mohamed Cisset. He joins the rest of head coach Jeff Cook's recruiting class as the no. 10 ranked recruiting class in the country this year.
  • In addition to the new athletes, Cook added two new faces to his staff. Assistant Coach Sean Lawlor joins the Nittany Lions coaching staff after his four-year stint at the 2022 National Champions Syracuse. Oscar Umar, a Villanova graduate, came to Penn State this spring after spending two seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Washington University in St. Louis. Lawlor and Umar join Clint Long as he enters his fourth season as an assistant coach of the Nittany Lions. 

2023 Captains