PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Penn State men's soccer dropped a tightly contested match to Rutgers on Friday, 1-0, at Yurcak Field in Piscataway, New Jersey. In the contest, Penn State goalkeeper Jonathan Evans had a career day with six saves.
Penn State drops to 2-3-1 with the loss, while Rutgers improves to 4-1-1.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First half
After an early shot from Caden Grabfelder, it was team captain Ben Liscum who thwarted the Scarlet Knights first real look at cage in the 11th minute, poking the ball just out of reach of the opposing forward’s volley.
Jonathan Evans made the first save of his game after three quick passes put the RU attacker into the Blue and White’s penalty box with no defenders between he and the net. Evans’s split-second decision to dive right saved the Nittany Lions from being down in the 22nd minute.
Rutgers spent a majority of the rest of the frame in the Penn State defensive half, but some strong net minding from the redshirt-sophomore goalkeeper kept the game level.
Freshman Ben Nash put himself on notice in his first game back from a stint with the u18 Canadian National Team, creating a dangerous chance for the Nittany Lions when he connected with a crashing Christian Dionne on a cross inside the six, but Dionne’s look went wide of the net in the 42nd minute.
Evans made another save before the end of the half, while also soiling another three Rutgers chances that did not make the score sheet to keep things level at 0-0 headed into the half.
Second half
Evans continued to dominate in the second half, earning a save on the doorstep after a Rutgers forward trickled into the Penn State six-yard box in the 47th minute. Less than three minutes later, Evans had another stop on an attempt from RU taken from beyond the 18.
Penn State finally got its second shot on cage in the 58th minute, but the header from freshman Joe Sheridan bounced directly into the hands of the Rutgers keeper. The chance at net inspired some back-and-forth play from both sides, evening the chances down the stretch.
Rutgers drew a foul in the 77th minute that caused the officiating crew to go to video review. After a deliberation of many minutes, the referee upgraded a yellow card that was originally awarded to Sheridan to a straight red. The restart came with a Rutgers free kick a foot beyond the Penn State 18-yard box. RU scored right off the strike, taking a 1-0 lead as 11-on-10 play began.
Evans batted away a near Olympico in the 84th minute to keep the match within reach, but PSU could not end the drought.
Evans tacked on one final save in the 90th minute on an RU one-on-one breakaway opportunity, but the Nittany Lions ultimately fell on the road to the Scarlet Knights.
OF NOTE
- Evans’s six stops marked the most by a Penn State goalkeeper since Andrew Cooke tallied nine against Ohio State last season.
UP NEXT
The Nittany Lions return home for the team’s biggest game of the regular season, taking on No. 1 Indiana on September 19 at Jeffrey Field for the team’s Mack Brady game on Alumni Weekend. Kickoff in University Park, Pennsylvania is set for 7 p.m. Action will be streamed live on B1G+.