GA Advances Past Brandywine In PKs

WEST CHESTER, Pa. – Penn State Brandywine's two-year run as PSUAC men's soccer titleholder came to an end on Thursday afternoon as fifth-seeded Penn State Greater Allegheny defeated the top-seeded Lions 5-4 in penalty kicks during the semifinal round to advance to Sunday's conference championship match. The teams played to a 1-1 draw through 110 minutes of action.

Brandywine, which won the PSUAC title for the first time in 24 years during the 2013 season and successfully defended its crown in 2014, saw its season come to an end with a 9-8-1 record. The Lions finished in first place in the PSUAC during the regular season for the second-straight year.

Brandywine controlled possession for the majority of the game, outshooting GA 24-4, and held the lead for nearly 70 minutes of game time.

Bill Walleekendeh (Chester, Pa./Chester), the team's leading scorer, took a free kick from Esteban Munoz (Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley), got behind the GA defense, and deposited his 18^th goal of the year for a 1-0 Brandywine lead during the 11^th minute.

The Lions racked up 13 shots during the opening 45 minutes, including six on goal, but could not tack on an insurance goal.

Both teams had multiple opportunities to score during the second half and Greater Allegheny finally found the equalizer with just 1:54 to play in regulation as Gerardo Diaz Perez knotted the score at 1-1.

All four shots during the 20-minute overtime session came from Brandywine, but GA goalkeeper Alex Wood turned away shots from Dan Tyler (West Chester, Pa./West Chester East) and Walleekendeh to help get the game to penalty kicks.

GA led 4-3 during penalty kicks when Wood stopped a Brandywine kick to give the visitors the edge; however, Brandywine's Pat O'Neill (Morton, Pa./Ridley) turned away the ensuing kick and Walleekendeh followed with a successful attempt to tie penalty kicks at 4-4 and send the game into sudden death PKs.

Brandywine missed on its next three attempts and GA was denied by O'Neill during its next two, but Jake Thieret found the back of the net on GA's eighth penalty kick to send Greater Allegheny to the championship match.

Walleekendeh recorded four of Brandywine's 11 shots on goal, while James Cellucci (Rosemont, Pa./Radnor) tallied three. Wood made 10 saves in 110 minutes for Greater Allegheny and O'Neill stopped one shot, while playing the entire game in goal for Brandywine.