CALIFORNIA (Oct. 22) – Despite tying the game early in the second half, the California University of Pennsylvania men's soccer team suffered a 3-1 loss to No. 11 Mercyhurst on Senior Night at the Phillipsburg Soccer Facility on Wednesday night in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) action.
With the loss, the Vulcans fall to 4-9-1 overall with a 3-6-1 mark in league play. Meanwhile, the Lakers extend their winning streak to nine games to improve to 13-2 this season behind a 7-1 record in conference action.
The Lakers took a 1-0 lead in the fourth minute when junior Richard Vanhorne scored off a feed from sophomore Danny Deakin, who ranks second in the league with 26 points. Cal U tied the score at 1-1 at the 52:41-mark when senior
Tyler Woolum (Gahanna, Ohio/Gahanna Lincoln) posted his second goal of the year with assists from freshman
Djordje Babic (Datteln, Germany/Comenius Gymnasium) and junior
Lubos Kubik (Pardubice, Czech Republic/Roosevelt (Iowa)).
Mercyhurst later countered with a pair of goals in a span of just over 15 minutes to claim the victory. The Lakers registered the game-winning goal in the 65th minute when senior Fernando Martinez, the reigning PSAC Offensive Athlete of the Year, scored off a cross from redshirt junior Mark Roche. Mercyhurst added to the lead at the 80:05-mark when sophomore Jack Watson scored his league-leading 16th goal of the year with an assist from Martinez.
Senior goalkeeper
Shane Donovan (Pipersville, Pa./Central Bucks East) posted four saves while playing all 90 minutes. Mercyhurst goalkeeper Ryan Arvin tallied two saves to improve to 8-0 this season.
The Lakers posted a 16-6 shot advantage after limiting the Vulcans to three attempts in each half. Both teams finished with four corner kicks in the game.
Cal U closes the regular season on a three-game road trip, beginning on Saturday, Oct. 25, against Gannon at 7 p.m.
