No. 5 Indiana Downs Nittany Lions in Penn State’s Big Ten Home OpenerNo. 5 Indiana Downs Nittany Lions in Penn State’s Big Ten Home Opener
Steven Walter

No. 5 Indiana Downs Nittany Lions in Penn State’s Big Ten Home Opener

Box Score

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Despite a level opening frame and an early score from forward Kai Phillip, Penn State men's soccer dropped a 4-1 decision to No. 5 Indiana on Friday night at Jeffrey Field in University Park, Pennsylvania. In the contest, Penn State goalkeeper Jonathan Evans made five stops.

Penn State drops to 2-4-1 with the loss, while Indiana improves to 6-1-1.

 

HOW IT HAPPENED

First half 

The Nittany Lions got right to work on Friday night, scoring in just the eighth minute of action. A long ball cleared by midfielder Caden Grabfelder from just outside of the PSU 18-yard box shot all the way to a streaking Phillip. The Trinadad and Tobago native kept stride with the last Indiana defender, using his body to shield the ball long enough to get a touch around him and one more touch past the keeper before burying the ball in the open net.

Indiana answered in the 14th minute, scoring off a header on a corner kick service to tie things up. 

The half concluded with a combined six more shots between the two foes, but none found the score sheet as Penn State entered halftime tied with the nation’s No. 5-ranked team.

 

Second half

Graduate student Ben Liscum played savior in the 49th minute, booting away a loose ball that found its way to the Penn State goal line.

Indiana finally broke the draw in the 58th minute after a turnover in the Nittany Lion’s defensive end led to a quick counter by the Hoosiers. Indiana punished the PSU defense with the tally to take a lead it never gave back.

Indiana tacked on another score off a Penn State turnover in its own half just three minutes later to build its lead to two. The visiting team tagged on one last goal in the 85th minute as Palmer Ault completed his hat trick and capped off a 4-1 road win for the Hoosiers.

 

OF NOTE

  • Evans’s five stops mark the second-most single-game saves he has made in his career.
  • Penn State drops to 8-3-2 all time in Mack Brady matches.

 

UP NEXT

The Nittany Lions stay home next week to take on Maryland in the team’s throwback game on September 23 at Jeffrey Field. Kickoff in University Park, Pennsylvania is set for 8 p.m. Action will be televised live on Big Ten Network.