Beaver Dominates Lehigh Valley

By: Matylda Zamudio 

Freedom, Pa. -- The Penn State Beaver men's soccer team hosted Penn State Lehigh Valley on Saturday night for the team's second conference match of the week. The game was relocated to Freedom Senior High School due to an afternoon rain shower that damped the field at New Brighton High School. The men enter the game sitting in third place in PSUAC standings for a 3-1 overall conference record. With a win tonight and Tuesday against Penn State New Kensington, Beaver can take over second place in the conference. 

As the game began, Beaver won the ball early and headed straight to Lehigh Valley's 18-yard line. But Lehigh Valley's defenders played physical and held off Beaver from scoring in the first five minutes. Then, forward Shelton Hilliard shot at the net but the ball was saved by Lehigh Valley's goaltender. As the next two minutes went on, Lehigh Valley grabbed possession of the ball, drove it down to Beaver's net and then attempted a shot by the back third, but Samuel Sharpless saved the ball. The teams went back and forth down the field, both exchanging possession of the ball and swatting the ball at each other's nets. But Beaver's vigorous effort can to fruition as Hilliard scored on an assist by Darrion Gilmore and Jacob Kosuda. The 0-1 hole didn't phase Lehigh Valley, as the men unleashed two powerful kicks into Beaver's net within two minutes to try and put themselves on the board, only to be saved by Sharpless.

The Beaver men took down Lehigh Valley, 10-3.

With Saturday's win, Beaver is in third place in the PSUAC standings and is 6-4 overall for the regular season. Beaver will be back for more conference action on Tuesday, Oct. 9 to compete against the men of Penn State New Kensington. The men play at home, and the game starts at 2 p.m.

More details ahead.