Erie, Pa.—The Mercyhurst Men's Soccer team defeated the No. 16 ranked Gannon Golden Knights by a score of 2-0 on the road.
How it Happened
The Lakers had the first chance of the game just four minutes into the match as Sidney Warden just missed the cross-bar to give the Lakers a 1-0 lead.
Warden made no mistake in the 38th minutes as he scored his PSAC leading 16th goal of the year after the Gannon keeper could not control the ball after it was crossed into the box.
Mercyhurst went to the room up 1-0 while having three shots on goal compared to just one from Gannon.
The Lakers extended their lead to two in the 50th minute a Warden scored on a penalty kick. Sean Kerrigan drew the foul in the box and Warden used his signature stutter step to beat the keeper.
After taking the two goal lead, the Lakers shutdown the Golden Knights and allowed just two shots on goal for the whole game.
Gannon generated just 11 shots in the full 90 minutes while Mercyhurst generated 21 shots with 10 finding the goal.
Jonathan Gomes needed to make just two saves to earn the clean sheet.
My Oh My
Warden added two to his PSAC leading goal total tonight, he now sits at 17. While leading the PSAC he entered today tied for sixth in the NCAA. The London, Eng. native is now tied for third in the NCAA in goals.
What Does it Mean?
The Lakers have just one game remaining in the regular season, Mercyhurst can win the PSAC West regular season championship with a win over Cal (Pa.) on Saturday. Mercyhurst and Gannon both have 20 points but the Lakers have the tie- breaker with the Golden Knights after the win today. If Mercyhurst falls to Cal on Saturday and Seton Hill and Gannon win, Mercyhurst would be the third seed. If the Lakers lose and Seton Hill wins and Gannon loses, Mercyhurst is the third seed.
Let's Hear From The Players
Coach's Corner
Head Coach Ryan Osborne is proud of his team after the big win. "I am really happy for the boys today. They put a complete performance together and were excellent from the first whistle to the last. To keep a clean sheet is really pleasing." Osborne knew how hard it is defeat nationally ranked teams. "We knew today was going to be a difficult game but our mentality was fantastic, credit to the boys." The Lakers have a chance to win the PSAC West regular season championship on Saturday. "We have clawed our way back into contention to be regular season champions now and we know that we have to finish the job on Saturday against Cal which will be no easy task" Osborne said.
Up Next
The Lakers close out the regular season on Saturday against Cal with a regular season championship on the line.
