No. 1 seed Penn State men’s soccer dominated No. 8 Michigan State in a 2-0 victory on Sunday afternoon at Jeffrey Field to open up the Big Ten Tournament.
The win advances the Nittany Lions to the semifinals, where they’ll soon face No. 4 seed Michigan.
An early goal from Peter Mangione, a slick shot coming from Andrew Privett in the first half and saves from Kris Shakes led Penn State to the win.
How It Happened
The Nittany Lions started off the match with a bang just 25 seconds in. As Penn State pushed forward, Liam Butts’s shot was blocked by Michigan State’s Hunter Morse, but the ball came right back to Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year Peter Mangione, who was waiting to head the ball in and put Penn State ahead 1-0.
Penn State did it again in the 16th minute when the Nittany Lions built up beautiful possession on the Spartans’ half. A pass to Andrew Privett on the outside allowed him to weave through Michigan State’s defenders and shoot into the high left of the goal for the Nittany Lions’ second goal of the match.
Michigan State got its first shot of the game in the 32nd minute, but Penn State goalie Kris Shakes made a great jump save on a ball that had the potential to cut the Spartans’ deficit in half. Shakes did it again with seven minutes left in the match and hit the ball out of Penn State’s defensive zone.
In the 42nd minute, Michigan State’s Ferri Gianni slide tackled Seth Kuhn and received a yellow card. Kuhn was down on the field for a minute and was then taken out for the remainder of the half, but he was brought back after the break.
Michigan State upped its offensive game and went for multiple shots in the second half, but Shakes was there each time to deny the Spartans.
The Nittany Lions came out on top in the with a 2-0 win, moving them forward into the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament.
Players Of The Match
Peter Mangione | Forward
Mangione’s early goal off a header set the pace of play for the Nittany Lions through the entire match. The Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year’s aggression in Penn State’s attack helped pin Michigan State’s defense down and keep possession across the length of the field.
Kris Shakes | Goalie
Shakes’s showing in goal was key for the Nittany Lions. The Spartans upped their offensive game in the second half, and Shakes kept up with their rockets. From beautiful dives to quick leaps, Shakes was a powerhouse in goal and denied Michigan State on all eight of its shots.
What’s Next?
The Nittany Lions will face Michigan in the Big Ten semifinals at noon on Wednesday at Jeffrey Field. No. 3 seed Indiana will host No. 7 Northwestern in the other semifinal at 2 p.m. Both matches will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.
