GROVE CITY, Pa. -- For the first time since 1978, the Allegheny College men's soccer team has been crowned Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) champions.
The second-seeded Gators (12-6-2) won on penalty kicks, 4-1, on the road at No. 1 Grove City College in a dramatic shootout Saturday evening.
After being knotted at 1-1 after 110 minutes of play, the PAC championship went into penalty kicks to decide the winner for the first time since 2015.
Ben Keefer (Zelienople, Pa./Seneca Valley), who scored the second half equalizer, started the shootout with a successful attempt. Grove City (12-2-6) found success on its first attempt as well.
Will Gruca (Baden, Pa./Ambridge) was up next, and found similar success.
On the Wolverines' second attempt, goalie
Cadan Bennett (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) made a clutch diving stop towards his left side.
Jose Cifuentes (Guatemala City, Guatemala/The Kiski School (Pa.)) stepped up next. He converted his attempt to make it 3-1 in favor of the Gators. The advantage stayed at 3-1 as Grove City's next attempt went off the crossbar. Allegheny then put it away when
Micah Khembo (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Catholic) scored on a low shot to win the title.
After back-and-forth play to start, the Wolverines got on the board in the 26th minute. A corner kick found its way towards the near post. Grove City was able to head in the offering just below the crossbar for the goal. Grove City had another chance in the 32nd minute, but Bennett charged out and made a sliding save.
Lucas Henderson (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) had an opportunity to put the Gators on the board in the 36th minute, but the Grove City goalkeeper made a diving save. The Gators continued to pressure the rest of the half but were unable to produce a goal as they entered halftime trailing 1-0.
The teams continued to battle following the break. In the 66th minute, the Gators earned a free kick following a foul from about 25 yards out. Gruca delivered the ball into the box and Keefer got his foot on the ball, burying it in the back of the net to tie the game. The goal marked his second of the season.
In the 70th minute, Gruca had a solid chance from inside the box, but the attempt was saved. The match remained a stalemate for the rest of regulation, sending the game into overtime. Neither team found the back of the net in the overtime sessions as the championship went to a penalty shootout.
Inside the Box
- Grove City held a slight advantage in shots, 17-to-15, but both teams had four shots on goal.
- Corner kicks also favored the Wolverines, 9-to-5.
- The Wolverines got on the board first, scoring a header off a corner in the 26th minute.
- Allegheny found the equalizer in the 66th minute as Keefer scored off a set piece delivered by Gruca.
- Keefer, Gruca, Cifuentes, and Khembo converted penalty kicks in the shootout.
- Bennett finished with three saves while additionally making a stop in the shootout.
News and Notes
- Allegheny improved to 12-6-2 overall record, while Grove City's season ended at 12-2-6.
- The Gators ended the regular season and PAC tournament on a 12-match unbeaten streak (10-0-2).
- The 2026 title is the team's sixth PAC championship and the first since 1978
- Allegheny also won the 2004 North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) tournament on penalty kicks.
- Gruca's 84 career points are fifth-most in program history. Additionally, his 24 assists are tied for third.
- Gruca was named as the PAC Championship Tournament MVP.
- Colin Hill (Volant, Pa./Wilmington) and Cole Bowser (Forest Hill, Md./John Carroll) were also named to the PAC All-Tournament Team.
Up Next
The Gators earned the PAC's automatic berth into the Division III Championships. The brackets are set to be released on Monday, Nov. 9.
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