Evan Weber
Sports Editor
The Franciscan University men’s soccer team defeated the Grove City Wolverines 3-2 Wednesday, Oct. 16 at 7:30 p.m. Both sides played at a high level, but as the dust settled, the Barons were the ultimate victors.
Grove City has always been a thorn in the Barons’ side. Franciscan has not beaten the Wolverines since 2008, and their record is 2-7 against them all time. But the winds of fate were finally changing. The Barons came into this game with a four game winning streak, holding a 5-0-1 record overall. The conditions were perfect for history to be broken.
The match began with both teams testing the waters, shooting a few shots, but nothing landing yet. Twenty minutes into the game, sophomore goalkeeper Aiden Miller earned a save, and the Barons went straight on the attack. Junior forward Lucas Cross continued his historic season by landing the first goal of the game.
Six minutes later, senior forward Jonathan Schriner scored another goal for the Barons, this time assisted by junior forward Julien Freeman. The Barons held a commanding 2-0 lead, but the Wolverines responded with a quick goal of their own. There was a little more back-and-forth, but the first half ended with the Barons up 2-1.
While Franciscan came into the second half with a one point lead, they knew this game could turn around at any moment. The Wolverines attempted a barrage of shots, but the Baron defense stayed strong and let nothing get into the net.
Sixty-nine minutes into the game, senior midfielder Ryan Miller scored a crucial goal to extend the lead to 3-1. The goal was assisted by junior midfielder Augustine Rubino. This goal gave the Barons the breathing room they needed. While the Wolverines scored another point, it was not enough to overcome the lead.
The Barons finished their final home game of the regular season in triumphant fashion, extending their winning streak to five. With this win, they sit at 1st place in the PAC and clinched a trip to the playoffs. The Barons will play their next game against Waynesburg University Saturday, Oct. 19 at 8:00 p.m.