Brandywine Claims Third PSUAC Men’s Soccer Championship
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Penn State Hazleton (11-6-1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
Penn State Brandywine (15-2) | 1 | 0 | 1 |
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – For the third time in team history, Penn State Brandywine is No. 1 in Penn State University Athletic Conference men's soccer after the Lions earned a 1-0 victory over Penn State Hazleton in the league title game on Wednesday night.
Each of Brandywine's three titles have come since 2013. Seniors Bill Walleekendeh (Chester, Pa./Chester), Brad Jule (Chadds Ford, Pa./Salesianum) and Jeison Fajardo (Bala Cynwyd, Pa./Lower Merion) all claimed the third championship of their careers.
Brandywine (14-2), under the direction of first-year head coach Jesse Zafiratos, ran through the PSUAC regular season unbeaten at 9-0 and, two days after knocking off Penn State New Kensington in the semifinals, clinched the one-goal victory, their second by a 1-0 score in a championship game during the last three years.
Walleekendeh, who was named PSUAC Player of the Year on Wednesday, netted the match's lone goal during the 34th minute. His nation-leading 42nd score of the season was a low drive just inside the post after he received a pass from Josh Burton (West Chester, Pa./PA Cyber Charter) and beat a pair of Hazleton defenders.
Just over three minutes later, Hazleton appeared primed to tie the score with a penalty kick opportunity for its leading scorer, Kyle Venditti; however, Brandywine goalkeeper Joe Opdenaker (Lenni, Pa./The Christian Academy) was up to the task, blocking Venditti's PK to keep Hazleton scoreless.
Opdenaker stopped a drive from Moussa Diouf just before the half, his third save of the game, and would not be tested the rest of the way as Brandywine's defense locked down Hazleton. The shutout was the second team all-conference honoree's fifth of the season and second-straight during Brandywine's postseason run.
Brandywine collected five shots on goal, with four off the foot of Walleekendeh and one from Jule.
The Lions will now head to the United States Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament next week in Virginia Beach, Va. Brandywine, which will be seeded sixth in the 12-team field, faces No. 3 Bryant & Stratton on Thursday, Nov. 10 and No. 10 Maine-Machias on Saturday, Nov. 12.
