PITTSBURGH, Pa.- Penn State men’s soccer finishes tough road battle with a 1-1 draw to No. 5 Pittsburgh. Van Danielson’s late goal in the first half surged the team through the rest of the game but the Panthers managed a goal of their own to knot the score. The Nittany Lions begin the season 0-1-1.
“I couldn’t be prouder of our team and the way they competed tonight against an outstanding team,” said head coach Jeff Cook. “We were pleased to take the lead near the end of the first half and of course we’re very disappointed not to come away with the win. However, I think Pitt will prove to be one of the best teams in the country throughout the course of the season and we can take a lot of credit in our performance and the result. It’s a very promising start and we can’t wait to get to Jeffrey Field for Sunday’s game.”
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half
First whistle blew at golden hour at Ambrose Urbanic Stadium and the match was underway. Both teams maintaining equal possession throughout the early minutes.
An offensive spark from Atem Kato off a pass from Sean Bettenhausen in the wing gave the Nittany Lions an early chance but the header was just out of reach.
Alex Stevenson played a major role in the knotted score throughout the first 40 minutes, contributing to nearly six defensive stops after a Panthers offensive surge.
A shot off the foot of Peter Mangione found its way just wide of the net to threaten the equal score.
Kris Shakes made a diving save over his shoulder to hold Pittsburgh scoreless and Danielson found the back of the net off the counter. A pass from Bettenhausen led Danielson…
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