St. John’s Falls to No. 20 Penn State, 2-0

Monday, September 4

University Park, Pa. (Jeffrey Field)

5 p.m.

St. John's University

2-1-1, 0-0-0

No. 20 Penn State

2-0-2, 0-0-0

St. John's (NY)

Penn St.

9/4/2023 7:38:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score Box Score vs. Penn State (PDF)

Red Storm outshot the Nittany Lions, 14-7, while producing more corner kicks, 6-3

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Despite a valiant effort and a plethora of opportunities, the St. John's men's soccer team fell to No. 20 Penn State, 2-0, at Jeffrey Field on Monday evening.

St. John's (2-1-1) battled the 20^th-ranked team in the nation for 90 minutes, outshooting the Nittany Lions, 14-7, while holding a slight advantage in shots on target, 4-3. The Johnnies also produced six corner kicks to Penn State's three.

Macoumba Ba, Antonio Biggs, Miguel Diaz and Max McNulty all tallied one shot on net while Connor Mucchetti led the way with three total shots on the evening.

The Red Storm came out swinging in the first half as Antek Sienkiel ripped a shot from just outside the 18-yard box, narrowly missing the far right post in the opening minute. Ten minutes later, Mucchetti nearly cashed in with a similar shot from inside the box, this time rocketing it just past the far left pipe.

Penn State (2-0-2) broke through on a set piece in the 26^th minute as Peter Mangione knocked in a free kick from Matthew Henderson to give the Nittany Lions a 1-0 edge.

The momentum continued to swing in favor of the home side as the Nittany Lions forced a Red Storm miscue deep in their attacking third. PSU's Liam Butts rocketed a point-blank shot on target, but goalkeeper Alec McLachlan caught a piece with his hand and Biggs blocked the re-direction at the goal line to keep the deficit at one.

In the final minute of the half, Diaz and fellow striker Brady Geho tried to connect on a give-and-go deep in the Red Storm's offensive zone but the Nittany Lions collapsed in the box and blocked Geho's opportunity to end the frame.

Diaz broke out for one of the Red Storm's best opportunities of the game to start the second half. The Brooklyn, N.Y., native fielded a headed pass from Alejandro Rabell just past midfield and bolted into the Penn State box, ripping a low shot toward PSU goalkeeper Kris Shakes, who made the save in the 52^nd minute.

Penn State found the back of the net again, 2-0, in the 64^th minute as Alex Stevenson tapped in the team's second of the game off another Henderson set piece.

In the 69^th minute, Biggs reeled in a Ba corner and tried to sneak a shot past Shakes at the near post but was turned away again.

The Johnnies continued to threaten in their offensive third over the final 20 minutes, including two headers from McNulty off of outside crosses. Eric Danquah tried to will his way onto the scoresheet in the final five, ripping a pair of strikes in a span of 2:15 before the final whistle was blown.

The Red Storm will return to Belson Stadium for the first of back-to-back home contests, beginning on Friday, Sept. 8, when it welcomes Saint Peter's for a 7 p.m. match.