Penn State Men’s Soccer Earns 1-1 Overtime Draw Against No. 21 Michigan
Penn State men’s soccer earned a hard-fought overtime draw on the road against No. 21 Michigan Friday. The Nittany Lions are now 1-0-1 in the Big Ten.
Wolverines midfielder Jack Hallahan cancelled out Christian Sload’s early goal in the 69th minute. Both teams failed to score a decisive goal despite two periods of overtime, and finished the match with a goal apiece.
How It Happened
The Nittany Lions struck early in Ann Arbor. Christian Sload notched his first goal of the season in the third minute, collecting a pass from Jeremy Rafanello and slotting a finish into the bottom left corner of Michigan goalkeeper Henry Mashburn’s net.
The Wolverines pressed hard for an equalizer, recording a total of five shots throughout the first half and forcing Josh Levine to make three saves. Noah Pilato took Penn State’s second shot in the 42nd minute, but his effort missed high.
Penn State’s backline withstood Michigan’s attacking pressure, and entered halftime with a 1-0 lead.
Michigan equalized in the 69th minute when English midfielder Jack Hallahan’s shot deflected off a Penn State defender and found the back of the Nittany Lion net.
The Wolverines seemed poised to score a go-ahead goal before the end of the match — they outshot Penn State 9-3 in the second period. But both teams failed to score again before the 90th minute, and the match entered overtime.
Penn State midfielder Aaron Molloy took on a more attacking role for Penn State in the first period of overtime as the Nittany Lions pressed for a late winner. He failed to score from four shots and forced Mashburn to make two saves.
Neither side was able to break the deadlock after 110 minutes, and the match ended in a 1-1 draw.
Player of the Match
Josh Levine| Sophomore| Goalkeeper
Penn State’s goalkeeper made a total of four saves against a Michigan attack that has scored a total of fifteen goals already this season. Levine’s performance combined with the increasing confidence of Penn State’s backline was crucial in preventing the Wolverines from scoring a go-ahead goal.
What’s Next?
Penn State (2-4-1) host Michigan State at Jeffrey Field Wednesday, September 26 at 6 p.m.
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