Molloy Magic: Five Of The Penn State Midfield Maestro’s Best Goals
A player like Aaron Molloy leaves a mark on Jeffrey Field long after the final whistle of their last home match blows.
Fondly dubbed the “Irish Messi” by Penn State fans, Molloy was drafted by the Portland Timbers in the first round of last week’s MLS SuperDraft. Molloy has spent the past three seasons in Happy Valley, starting in all but one of his 50 appearances for the Nittany Lions and serving as a two-year captain.
He was a key player throughout his sophomore and junior seasons, but his stat sheet failed to impress at the highest level. However, the stars aligned during Jeff Cook’s second year at the helm when Molloy broke out with nine goals from the midfield. The captain also found his teammates on six occasions in 2019.
Molloy’s contributions was at the center of the team’s second place Big Ten finish last fall that saw Penn State reenter the arena of legitimate NCAA Tournament qualifiers. He’s arguably the best player Penn State’s seen in the past decade.
Here are five of the best of his 14 goals for Penn State that will be playing on the program’s highlight reel long after he’s proven himself in Portland.
Penn State vs. Indiana, 2019
Molloy struck a rebounding ball with his right foot to earn what would ultimately be a consolation goal in a 3-1 loss to Indiana. Molloy was able to place the ball into the corner of the net, bending it through a crowd of players at the top of the box.
54' | Penn State gets on the board with senior captain Aaron Molloy's fourth goal of the season!! Dax Hoffman with the assist.
— Penn State Men’s Soccer (@PennStateMSOC) October 6, 2019: 3
: 1 pic.twitter.com/W0lF0uhtH3
Penn State vs. Wisconsin, 2019
Molloy rifled a rebounding corner kick into the net against Wisconsin to give Penn State a 2-0 lead over the Badgers in a crucial conference win.
66' | Rebound goals, just something @aaronmolloy18 does best!
— Penn State Men’s Soccer (@PennStateMSOC) October 20, 2019
The senior puts one away off a corner kick and Penn State is up by two!: 0 pic.twitter.com/8YoOJk8Hk6
: 0 Penn State vs. Ohio State, 2018
Molloy scored only two goals for Penn State during his junior season, but this strike against Ohio State was one to remember as he pirouetted at the top of the box and fired a low shot into the bottom of the net.
Penn State vs. Maryland, 2018
Molloy made his limited goals count in 2018, with this buzzer beater just before halftime against Maryland displaying his exceptional volleying ability. His goal cut the Terrapins’ lead to one at one at one of the most formidable grounds in the conference and nation, Ludwig Field.
Penn State vs Appalachian State, 2019
While it is tough to beat a buzzer beater volley, Molloy’s opportune goal against non-conference foes Appalachian State is undoubtedly his most memorable strike for Penn State. The midfielder lowered his head and blasted a shot past Mountaineers goalkeeper Jacob Madden from the tightest of angles.
The match, while not carrying any weight towards Big Ten standings, was Penn State’s first as a ranked team in 2019. The Nittany Lions went on to win 4-0.
Rocket shots only.
— Penn State Men’s Soccer (@PennStateMSOC) October 26, 2019
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