Harrison Lilley

Photo Editor

hjl5363@psu.edu

ERIE, PA. – In a closely contested matchup on Saturday, October 14, the Penn State Behrend men’s soccer team faced off against conference rival Penn State Altoona, with the latter emerging victorious by a slender margin of 1-0.

The key moment of the game occurred in the 62nd minute when Penn State Altoona’s Luke Hall made a game-changing play. Hall, who had notched Altoona’s sole shot of the contest, dribbled into the box and executed a masterful chip shot over the outstretched arms of Behrend’s goalkeeper, Sam York, marking his fourth goal of the season and securing the win for his team.

Despite the final score, the match was largely dominated by Penn State Behrend in terms of offensive play. Behrend outshot Altoona 20-1, but Altoona’s goalkeeper, Sasha Mohoruk, proved to be a formidable barrier, collecting seven saves to maintain a clean sheet and deny Behrend any goals.

Blake Cooper, hailing from Murrysville, PA, and representing Franklin Regional, led the Behrend attack with four shots, while Chris Profaca, who calls Basking Ridge, NJ, and Ridge his home, registered three shots.

This loss marked a significant setback for Penn State Behrend, as it was their first conference defeat of the season. The team had been riding a wave of success with a three-game winning streak prior to this match.

Before the game, a senior ceremony took place to honor the contributions of senior players to the Penn State Behrend soccer program. The recognized seniors included Sam York (Akron, OH/Revere), Zak Schwarzel (South Park, PA/South Park), Tyler Vandemerwe (Erie, PA/Cathedral Prep), Nate Rondinelli (Karns City, PA/Karns City), Justin Hockenberger (Spencerport, NY/Spencerport), Alex Pomarico (Mount Pleasant, PA/Mount Pleasant), and Justin LeDonne (Murrysville, PA/Franklin Regional).

Despite the loss, Penn State Behrend remains a strong contender in the conference with an overall record of 8-3-3 and a conference record of 5-1-1. Penn State Altoona’s victory improved their record to 5-3-1 overall and 4-2 in the AMCC conference. The soccer fans eagerly await the next thrilling matchup between these two talented teams.