MEADVILLE, Pa. -- The Allegheny College men's soccer team earned a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Geneva College under the lights on Frank B. Fuhrer '48 Field on Wednesday to open its Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) schedule.
Although Wednesday's contest was the first in a long line of PAC matchups, it will likely be a key decision down the stretch. Allegheny (2-4-0, 1-0-0 PAC) finished just one point ahead of Geneva (1-2-1, 0-1-0 PAC) for third place in the PAC's preseason coaches' poll, and their regular-season battle was just as close.
The lone score of the night came in the 30th minute, a screamer off the right foot of
Will Gruca (Baden, Pa./Ambridge). The senior midfielder received a throw-in from
Jose Cifuentes (Guatemala City, Guatemala/The Kiski School (Pa.)), took one touch and a spin around his defender, and rifled the ball into the far corner of the cage from about 25 yards out.
Allegheny's next best scoring opportunity came from
Billy Sprott (Moon Township, Pa./Moon Area) in the 71st minute. With the Gators deep in Geneva's half of the field, Sprott stepped up from his centerback position and nearly matched Gruca with a 30-yard shot. However, the ball struck the right post, and the Golden Tornadoes were able to clear it out of danger.
Inside the Box Score
- Despite the shutout, Geneva finished with a 17-to-11 advantage in shots.
- Both teams took six corner kicks.
- All three yellow cards in the contest were given to the Gators.
- Gruca netted the game's only goal in the 30th minute with an assist from Cifuentes.
- Nathan Tolliver (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) logged a team-high three shots and two shots on goal.
- Junior goalie Cadan Bennett (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) earned a clean sheet with four saves.
- Geneva keeper Eli Stasiowski ended the night with two saves and one goal allowed.
News and Notes
- Allegheny improved to 2-4-0 overall and 1-0-0 in PAC action with Wednesday's win.
- The clean sheet was the first of the season for the Gators.
- The Gators have won consecutive one-goal games against Geneva and are 3-2-1 in their last six meetings with the Golden Tornadoes.
- Gruca's goal is his third of the year.
- Cifuentes earned his first point of the season with his assist.
- Bennett collected the seventh shutout of his Allegheny career.
Up Next
The Gators will travel to Washington, Pennsylvania, for a 1 p.m. contest against Washington and Jefferson College on Saturday, September 19.
