Evan Weber
Sport Editor
The Franciscan University men’s soccer team took a 3-1 victory against the Penn State Behrend Lions on Saturday, Sep. 21 at 1 p.m. Playing at Trinity field in front of a home crowd, the Barons utilized their tough defense and balanced midfield to emerge victorious.
The first five minutes were a constant back and forth with neither team able to gain an advantage. Both teams were testing the waters, seeing who would break the peace first. The Panthers made the first move with two quick shots on goal. Fortunately, sophomore goalkeeper Aiden Miller was able to save both of them, keeping the score at 0-0.
But the Panthers were relentless with a barrage of five more shots coming from five straight corner kicks. Still, the Barons held on. After defending the Panther’s torrent offense for 17 minutes, Franciscan faltered and allowed a goal.
Despite the slip up, the Barons quickly recovered and equalized the score with a penalty kick by senior midfielder Ryan Miller. Both teams played a gritty battle, trying to outlast the other. By the end of the first half, the score remained a standstill at 1-1.
Although both teams were bruised and battered, the Barons came into the second half with a stronger and more determined defense. Again, the Panthers continued their relentless onslaught, but Franciscan persevered with Aiden Miller getting another save.
With the Panthers running out of steam, Franciscan took advantage with a tactical counter attack. With only 20 minutes left in the game, senior forward Jonathan Schriner scored the tiebreaker with an assist from Lucas Cross. The Barons were able to wedge their way through the storm of Panther offense and find the lead.
As the clock was winding down, the Barons did not let up the pressure. With just two minutes left, junior forward Julien Freeman sped past his defender and found the back of the net. While the Panthers and Barons fought to their last breath, the victor was clear. Franciscan wins 3-1.
Following the impressive win against a difficult opponent, the Barons will look to shake up the PAC in their first conference game. Next up, Franciscan will play St. Vincent College on Tuesday, Sep. 24 at 7 p.m. on Trinity field.