The Penn State men’s soccer team (10-3-1, 4-2-0 B1G) suffered its third consecutive loss last night, this time at the hands of the West Virginia Mountaineers, 2-1.

The Nittany Lions struggled to muster any real scoring threats on the night, as the team only totaled three shots on goal. The game was quite close throughout the first half, during which Penn State out-shot West Virginia 8-6. Then, Penn State forward Connor Maloney opened up the scoring in the second half with a 48th-minute blast from 18 yards out to put the Nittany Lions up 1-0. The goal was Maloney’s ninth on the year, tops in the conference.

Penn State’s lead would not last long, however, as West Virginia’s Andy Bevin connected on a long cross to tie the game up at one apiece in the 61st minute. Bevin struck again for the Mountaineers, this time in the 69th minute off of a penalty kick after being fouled by Penn State’s Mike Robinson in the box. That gave West Virginia the 2-1 lead that it would not surrender.

Brandon Savino came close to tying the game with a header in the 70th minute, but the attempt was blocked by Mountaineer defenders. As the game continued, hope dwindled as the Nittany Lions struggled to generate any threatening offensive pressure in the waning minutes. Forward Mikey Minutillo had a chance to be the hero and net the tying goal, but his shot was saved by West Virginia goalkeeper Lee Johnston in the 85th minute for his second save on the evening, thus ending any Penn State comeback attempt.

The Nittany Lions will try to end this bad run Sunday on Senior Day against the Wisconsin Badgers at 2 p.m. The game will air on Big Ten Network.