MEADVILLE, Pa. – Two penalty kick goals from senior Axel Monzon pushed the Gators to a hard-fought, 3-2 win in an immensely physical, regional contest on Friday night at Frank B. Fuhrer Field.  Allegheny closes out a two-game home stand with two critical wins, as the Gators keep their home record unblemished this season.

Monzon scored his first two goals of the season in the sixth and 58th minute, while fellow fourth year Stefano Wach buried a header on a cross from sophomore Liam McNamee for Allegheny's other goal.  Leading 2-0 at halftime, Allegheny surrendered two goals in a four-minute span to enter the final 25 minutes of the contest tied, but Monzon's second penalty kick gave the Allegheny defense the needed buffer to clinch the win.

Junior Jake Pugliese made seven saves in net, including several stellar stops in the second half that sealed the win for the Blue and Gold.  The Allegheny defense stood firm, especially in the second stanza, as the Lions outshot the Gators, 10-4, in the second half and 17-7 overall while holding a 5-1 advantage in corner kicks.

The Gators held the momentum early, generating a plethora of chances that ultimately led to Monzon's first penalty opportunity 5:23 into the first half.  Monzon deposited his first goal of the season in the far side of the net, putting the Gators on the board early.  In the 34th minute, McNamee placed a lofting cross into the box, finding Wach who re-directed the header into the far side of the net.

Penn State Behrend's Anthony Crivelli, who earned Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Player of the Week honors earlier this week, scored both Penn State-Behrend goals to tie the contest in the 54th minute.  The Gators were awarded their second penalty kick of the contest in the 58th minute, as Monzon once again made it count to give Allegheny the 3-2 lead in the 58th minute.

In the 68th minute, a free kick from Behrend nearly knotted the game at 3-3, as the shot from nearly 30 yards out from Matt Dziadosz ricocheted off of the crossbar, as Pugliese smothered the header generated from the rebound.  Pugliese made his final save of the contest in the 76th minute, as the Gators were able to keep the Lions away from the box to clinch the win.

Allegheny will next play next Tuesday in Alliance, Ohio to wrap up non-conference play against Mount Union before kicking off North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) competition against Denison in Granville, Ohio.  The Gators will return to Frank B. Fuhrer Field on Sunday, October 12 to face off against Wabash.