Nittany Lions Down Colonials Before Conference Play Resumes FridayNittany Lions Down Colonials Before Conference Play Resumes Friday

Nittany Lions Down Colonials Before Conference Play Resumes Friday

Box Score

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – A strong first half on home turf allowed the Nittany Lions to coast to a 2-0 win over Robert Morris on Tuesday night at Jeffrey Field in University Park, Pennsylvania. Kai Phillip and Ben Liscum each tallied a score in the contest.

Penn State improves to 3-4-2 with the win, while Robert Morris drops to 3-2-4.

 

HOW IT HAPPENED

First half 

A caution to Robert Morris was the first notable statistic to be recorded as neither team tallied a shot for the first nine minutes of play. Caden Grabfleder used the ensuing free kick to get the first look on cage, but the Robert Morris goalkeeper made the stop.

A 35th minute goal from graduate student Kai Phillip finally broke the stalemate. The score began when a well-paced ball from redshirt-junior Christian Dionne found Phillip just outside of the six-yard box. The forward’s first shot, a header, ricocheted off the Robert Morris goalkeeper right back to Phillip’s feet. The Trinidad and Tobago native one-timed his second shot, burying the ball past the visiting goalkeeper to take a 1-0 lead.

Less than ten minutes later, graduate student Ben Liscum got on the scoresheet. A free kick service from Grabfelder in an advantageous spot following a caution to RMU floated right inside the visitor’s 18-yard box. Liscum’s diving header caught the ball mid-flight, sending it bouncing past the Colonial netminder to push the lead to two.

Second half

Back-and-forth play began the second half while each team battled for strong possession. Phillip eyed up a shot in the 57th minute to attempt to get his third tally of the season, but the strike went just wide of the left post. Dionne searched for a goal of his own after narrowly missing the scoresheet in the first half, but his shot caught the post in the 74th minute.

Only 13 seconds later, Phillip caught a yellow card for a dangerous bicycle kick attempt, the Nittany Lion’s first and only booking of the night. 

Just inside the 87th minute Robert Morris received its fourth and final yellow card of the match.

A sliding save at the right corner post from redshirt-freshman goalkeeper Johnathan Evans kept Penn State’s two-goal lead intact in the 90th minute, securing the victory in the penultimate nonconference regular season outing of 2025.

 

OF NOTE

  • Liscum’s goal marked his first of the season and fourth of his career.
  • Grabfelder now has four assists on the year and takes sole possession of most on the team.
  • Grabfelder’s point streak has moved to three straight games, all coming on assists.
  • Phillip’s second score of the season ties him for the team lead with Grabfelder and Dionne.

 

UP NEXT

The Nittany Lions have a quick turnaround to get back into conference form when the team travels to East Lansing, Michigan, for a Friday evening battle against Michigan State on October 3. Kickoff at DeMartin Stadium is set for 5 p.m. Action will be streamed live on B1G+.