Brandywine Rallies To Capture Bill Denney Memorial Tournament Title

MEDIA, Pa. -- Penn State Brandywine scored three times during the final 45 minutes to overcome a two-goal halftime deficit and capture the championship of the Bill Denney Memorial Men's Soccer Tournament by a 4-3 count over Bryant & Stratton-Albany Sunday afternoon.

Alex Sydor (While Plains, N.Y./Ardsley), who had a hand in all four Brandywine goals and was named tournament MVP, netted the game-winning goal during the 80th minute. His corner kick sailed into the back of the net for his third marker of the game.

Twenty minutes earlier, Sydor sent a low line drive off a free kick into the bottom left corner of the net, knotting the score at 3-3.

Sydor's first tally of the game came at the 9:54 mark of the opening half, giving Brandywine a 1-0 lead. He drove home a corner kick off the foot of Axel Ayllon-Ortiz (Kennett Square, Pa./Kennett), who earned defensive MVP honors during the tournament.

However, Bryant & Stratton answered with three goals during the final 28 minutes of the opening period to grab a 3-1 edge.

It took Brandywine just 43 seconds of second-half play to draw within one when Tyler Skaer (Brookhaven, Pa./The Christian Academy) knocked in a Sydor feed following a scramble in front of the net.

Elijah DeBooth (West Lawn, Pa./Wilson) made a key save during the 84th minute, his only action of the second half, to earn the victory in net. John Simpson (Philadelphia, Pa./Franklin Towne Charter) stopped one shot during the opening half.

The Lions doubled the Bobcats shot total, 16-8, while attempting 10 of the match's 12 corner kicks.

Brandywine (4-1-1) begins a week-long road trip Thursday at Albright at 7:00 pm.