McKeesport, PA. – With the official start of the Penn State Greater Allegheny Athletic Season just a week away, the PSUGA Men’s Soccer team kicks off their 2018 Preseason when they take on Pitt Greensburg on Saturday in their first scrimmage. It will be a chance for the team to get game reps against another opponent before they attempt to make it to the Penn State University Athletic Conference playoffs for the fifth consecutive year.
Last season, PSUGA made it to the semifinal round of the PSUAC Playoffs after earning the #2 seed thanks to a record setting 9-4 regular season and a 7-3 record in conference play. After a first-round bye, they were set to take on the #3 seed PSU-Hazleton, a team they defeated 3-2 earlier in the year.
It wasn’t meant to be on that day though as it would be Hazleton that would come through with the 4-1 victory advancing to the PSUAC Soccer Championships at University Park. Allan Conteh (Pittsburgh, PA./Baldwin HS) would notch the only goal for PSUGA coming in the 37th minute before Hazleton would close out the game with three unanswered goals.
Gone are 2017 top goal scorers Marin Marina and Jake Thieret, but PSUGA is bringing back strong veteran leadership in the form of Senior Belmo Nurkic (Pittsburgh, PA./Baldwin HS) and Sophomore Colin Bucsok (Pittsburgh, PA./Thomas Jefferson). They lead a group of eight returners to this season’s team as they look to build on last season’s success.
Nurkic finished 2017 tied with Marina for the team lead in goals with 11 and second in shots (41) and points (27). The Baldwin High School alumnus had a breakout year posting a career high in goals and points while stepping into a leadership role being named one of three captains in 2017.
Bucsok had one of the most successful season as a goalkeeper in program history during his freshman season. He set the single season program record recording nine wins during the 2017 season while ranking fifth in the PSUAC with a .747 save percentage and 2.11 goals allowed per game. Coming into the season, Bucsok needs just four more wins to become the winningest goalie in program history.
Bucsok and Nurkic are joined by a group of freshman who are eager to make their mark and help the PSUGA Men’s Soccer team keep their success going in 2018. One of those freshman to watch is Harrisburg native Idriss Benjelloun (Harrisburg, PA./Susquehanna Township HS). Benjelloun will slip into a defensive forward role as he looks to help Bucsok and the rest of the PSUGA defense keep the opponent off the scoreboard.
Pitt Greensburg enters Saturday’s scrimmage coming off of a year when they finished 5-10-1 and 3-6-1 in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference. They finished the season on a high note defeating Penn State Altoona 3-2. After falling behind 2-1 in the 66th minute, the Bobcats came back to tie the game before eventually winning it in the first overtime period when Nick Thomas scored the game winning goal.
PSUGA will be looking to find out who fits into what role on Saturday as they plan out their starting lineup for the 2018 season. Kick off for Saturday’s contest is schedule for 2 p.m. at the Francis McClure Intermediate School located at 500 Longvue Drive White Oak, PA. 15131.
