PURCHASE, N.Y. — The Manhattanville University men's soccer team secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Penn State Abington on Saturday afternoon, earning its first win of the season.
The opening 45 minutes proved to be a battle of attrition, with both teams trading chances but unable to break through. Manhattanville goalkeeper AJ Lucas (Beacon, N.Y./Beacon) was a steady force in net, turning away multiple early looks from the Nittany Lions, including a header from Frankie Rafferty and a strong strike by Jayden Barragan. On the other end, the Valiants pushed forward with opportunities of their own, highlighted by shots from Manuel Morales (Madrid, Spain/International College Spain) and Lucas Fernandez (Stamford, Conn./Stamford), but Abington keeper Brendan Werner matched Lucas' efforts with key stops to keep the match scoreless at the half.
The second half opened similarly, with both sides pressing for the game's first goal. Abington generated several shots in the early minutes, but Lucas continued strong, finishing the afternoon with six saves to anchor the Valiants' defensive line. Momentum shifted in the 63rd minute when Manhattanville finally capitalized on their pressure. A well-placed ball from Alessio Scanapieco (Westerly, R.I./LaSalle Academy) found Nico Del Vescovo (Flanders, N.J./Mount Olive), who buried the opportunity to give the Valiants the decisive 1-0 advantage.
Manhattanville leaned on its depth, utilizing several substitutions to maintain energy against Abington, who continued to push forward in search of an equalizer. The Valiants defense, highlighted by Johnny Antolino (Harrison, N.Y./Harrison) and Matthew Macedo (Pound Ridge, N.Y./John Jay Cross River), held firm under pressure, while Lucas delivered two more critical saves down the stretch to preserve the clean sheet.
Manhattanville finished the day with 11 total shots, as Morales and Antolino led the offensive effort with two attempts apiece. In goal, AJ Lucas (Beacon, N.Y./Beacon) recorded five saves to keep the Valiants level, while Brendan Werner registered three stops for the Nittany Lions. The two sides battled evenly on set pieces as well, with Manhattanville earning four corner kicks to Penn State Abington's five.
Up Next:
The Valiants will travel to Jersey City, NJ on Wednesday, September 3rd, to face New Jersey City University at 2 PM.
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