UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State men's soccer is back in the win column after toppling Mercyhurst, 5-0, on Friday night under the lights of Jeffrey Field in University Park, Pennsylvania. The five goals mark the most in a single game by the Nittany Lions since the 2017 season. PSU had five different goal scorers in the contest.
Penn State improves to 2-2-1 with the victory, while Mercyhurst drops to 0-2-2.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First half
A quiet first frame saw limited chances and just one goal in the books. The tally came in the 38th minute when junior midfielder Caden Grabfelder sent in a corner kick that connected with the head of senior defender Ben Liscum. The ricochet ended up at the feet of Van Danielson, who put away the score to get PSU on the boards.
The rest of the half ended with little to update, save a caution given to Mercyhurst on a rough tackle in the closing seconds of the stanza.
Second half
Penn State lit up the scoreboard after the break, burying almost as many goals in the second half as the team had so far this season. Samuel Ovesen put away the first score of the frame in the 58th minute off a free kick assist from Matthew Henderson. Ovesen won the physical battle against his defender to get to an advantageous look to the back post, putting the ball away with little trouble.
Junior midfielder Morgan Marshall scored goal number three for the Nittany Lions in the 64th minute when a cross from Henderson shot to the other end of the Laker penalty box all the way to a cutting Marshall, whole put the ball past the overcommitted Mercyhurst netminder.
After missing the first four matches, redshirt-junior Christian Dionne made his return to action one to remember with the third goal of his career just 34 seconds after Marshall’s. Malick Daouda punished the Laker defense for a sloppy advance, and with one quick pass, he found Dionne at the top of the MU 18-yard box, who blasted the ball into the net when the visiting goalkeeper came chasing.
Redshirt-junior Matiwos Rumley tacked on one more for good measure, scoring in the 88th minute. A Penn State corner trickled out of the box, but was corralled by Danielson, who’s service overshot the front of the goal frame, but Liscum’s header course corrected to Rumley’s lid, who put the ball away on the header.
OF NOTE
- Danielson’s score marks his first since the 2023 season, and the ninth of his career.
- Ovesen’s tally was the first of his career.
- Marshall’s goal marked his first of season and second of his career.
- Dionne’s score was the third of his career.
- Rumley’s make marks the first for him in a Penn State uniform.
UP NEXT
The Nittany Lions begin conference play with a road trip to Rutgers in a Friday night game on September 12 at Yurcak Field. Kickoff in Piscataway, New Jersey is set for 7 p.m. Action will be streamed live on B1G+.