Gophers Edged by Penn State-Behrend in ECAC Semifinal
November 18, 2023
READING, Pa. - Second-seeded Penn State-Behrend scored just 3:18 into the game and the Lions' defense held strong to preserve a shutout as the Lions ousted sixth-seeded Goucher College 1-0 in an ECAC Men's Soccer Championship semifinal Saturday afternoon at Alvernia University.
- Penn State Behrend (13-4-3) took a 1-0 lead 3:18 into the game on a Blake Cooper goal.
- The Lions took the game's next four shots, with Goucher (10-8-3) goalie Ale Sternini making a pair of saves.
- The first Gopher shot came midway through the half as an Michael Adekanmbi bid was saved by Lion goalie Sam York.
- Sternini made another save with just under 20 minutes to go in the half.
- Goucher had three shots in the final five minutes of the half, with York making a save on a shot by Andres Aristimuno.
- Goucher had a pair of shots in the 57th minute that both went wide.
- A shot by Flynn McNally with just over 22 minutes left was saved by York.
- McNally put another shot on frame four minutes later that was also stopped.
- Adekanmbi forced York to make another save with 12 minutes to go.
- Jeremiah Odubade had a shot go just wide with six minutes left following a corner kick.
- Adekanmbi and McNally had shots blocked in the final minutes.
- Goucher generated four corner kicks in the final 12 minutes of the game.
- Goucher outshot Penn State-Behrend 11-2 in the second half and 17-9 for the contest. The Gophers also had four corner kicks to the Lions' two.
- Adekanmbi led the Gophers with five shots.
- Sternini recorded three saves, while York made five stops en route to the shutout.
- Goucher, which was making its second straight ECAC appearance and first trip to the semifinals, finished with 10 wins for the second straight season and with double-digit victories for just the fourth time in program history.
- The Gophers are 20-12-9 (.598) over the last two seasons with two Landmark Conference tournament appearances in addition to two ECAC berths.
- Goucher and Penn State-Behrend were meeting for the first time in program history.
- The Lions advance to face the host Golden Wolves in the tournament final on Sunday at noon.