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Gerber Converts PK in Loss to Harrisburg
September 22, 2012
The Keuka College men's soccer team fell behind 2-0 Saturday afternoon against Penn State-Harrisburg en route to a 2-1 setback that snapped the Storm's modest two-game conference winning streak (photo courtesy of Ed Webber, Keuka College Sports Information Department).
Keuka College’s men’s soccer team allowed a goal just 38 seconds into Saturday’s North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) clash at Penn State-Harrisburg, then allowed a penalty kick goal and the two-goal deficit proved to be too much to overcome.
The Green and Gold (4-2, 2-2 NEAC) dropped a tough, 2-1 decision to the Nittany Lions (3-3, 2-0 NEAC) in Middletown, Pa., snapping Keuka’s modest two-game conference winning streak.
Off a crossing pass, Justin Henderson scored on a header just 38 seconds in for an early 1-0 lead. The two teams traded scoring opportunities, with Keuka senior Nate Smith (Hilton, NY/Hilton) delivering a shot that struck the crossbar in the seventh minute, and Harrisburg’s Tommy Miller glancing a shot off the post in the 22nd minute.
Both teams were held scoreless until the 37th minute. A foul was called on the Storm, and the call resulted in Hakan Demircan receiving a penalty kick. Freshman Preston Vick (Kendall, NY/Kendall), who earlier this year stopped penalty kicks in consecutive games, wasn’t able to stop Demircan’s blast, and the Nittany Lions took a 2-0 lead into halftime.
Keuka finally broke through in the 62nd minute. After a foul was called on Harrisburg in the goal area, sophomore Austin Gerber (Churchville, NY/Churchville-Chili) successfully buried his penalty kick to pull the Storm within 2-1.
Despite outshooting Harrisburg 6-1 over the final 15 minutes, Keuka was unable to net the equalizer, and suffered its first road loss of the season.
Vick finished with two saves for Keuka, which returns to action at 2 p.m. Sunday, with a NEAC contest against Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C.
