Pittsburgh, PA. – The Penn State Greater Allegheny Men’s Soccer team (0-1, 0-0) fell in their 2018 season opener to Point Park (4-2, 0-0) 5-0 at Highmark Stadium. PSUGA was getting a feel for their team in their first contest of the year, and while the defense played a solid game, the offensive opportunities were lacking as the guys tried to get in a groove.
The game was scoreless through the first 13 minutes of the contest before the Pioneers found their way on the board when Yuki Takeda snuck one under the right corner to take a 1-0 lead. Just six minutes later, Point Park added another when Abel Van Beest found the net and made it a 2-0 game.
PSUGA defenders Idriss Benjelloun (Harrisburg, PA./Susquehanna Township HS) and Dario Marina (Pittsburgh, PA./Baldwin HS) did a nice job keeping the ball away from the net throughout the middle of the first half. They consistently got the ball to the middle of the field setting up their midfielders for offensive opportunities.
The Pioneers were back at it again as the half was ending when Lorenzo Diaz punched one in on a crosser from Chris Cucianio to push the Point Park lead to 3-0. They added one more before the teams would break for the locker rooms and the Pioneers were the beneficiaries of a 4-0 half time lead.
PSUGA Goalkeeper Colin Bucsok (Pittsburgh, PA./Thomas Jefferson) worked hard throughout the game finishing with 11 saves, six of which coming in the first half. He was facing pressure all day and was able to keep calm and hold down the net as best he could. With the help of Benjelloun and Marina PSUGA’s defense is going to be a strong point for them in 2018.
The Pioneers would get their final goal of the day in the 21st minute of the second half when Jonathan Roos headed a ball in from five yards out to nail down the 5-0 win. PSUGA played hard until the end, but never found their offensive opportunities.
PSUGA was out shot 31-5 in the game with Belmo Nurkic (Pittsburgh, PA./Baldwin HS) supplying three shots and Jagesh Subba (Pittsburgh, PA./Baldwin HS) adding two shots of his own. Bucsok finished the day with 11 saves on 17 shots while playing all ninety minutes in net.
The PSUGA Soccer team returns to action on Saturday September 15th when they take on Southern State CC at 4 p.m. The game will be played at Francis McClure Intermediate school located at 500 Longvue Dr. White Oak, PA. 15131.