SELINSGROVE, PA - Susquehanna men's soccer scored early in both halves to jump out to a three-goal lead on Tuesday night against Penn State Harrisburg, who got two goals back late on, but the River Hawks held on for a 3-2 win.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- An early free-kick for Susquehanna taken by Alex Clark asked questions of the Lions' defense, and Aidan Diglio won the header, crashing it against the crossbar, before Louis Ciampi and Zak Kreisher followed up with attempts, Ciampi's cleared off the line and Kreisher's saved.
- The River Hawks struck gold moments later on the counter-attack, when John Kuderka found Jack McCarthy on the left-hand side, as the first-year found his strike partner in Clark running through the middle, and Clark's first touch was a shot that found its way over the head of the onrushing goalkeeper and into the back of the net.
- Owen Kaar came close from a 17th-minute free-kick, but missed wide to the right.
- Finn Kramer made a couple of key saves in the first half to keep the River Hawks' lead intact heading into the interval.
- The second half began with the River Hawks winning a corner inside the first few seconds, and the resulting Clark delivery was headed onto the crossbar by Diglio. After an attempted clearance, Diglio got another shot away that also hit the crossbar, and it was knocked over the line by Kreisher, who scored his first goal of the season just seconds after the restart.'
- A Kuderka throw-in in the 57th minute found its way to Khalil McDonald, who brought the ball into the attacking third before blasting from distance into the top right corner to add a third Susquehanna goal with the first of his career.
- PSU-Harrisburg made matters interesting after the hour mark, with a cross headed in by Tai Bhalla to pull a goal back.
- Chances came for Owen Smith and Henry McElroy as the game reached its final moments, but both were saved by Lions stopper Ethan Smith.
- PSU-Harrisburg scored a second to close the gap to one in the 86th minute, as Addis Tafese headed past Kramer to set up a grandstand finish.
- Susquehanna stood their ground in the final five minutes, with Kramer making an additional save while he teamed up with his defense to clear three corners in the final minute.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Harrisburg held a 15-11 advantage in shots, with 11 on target to Susquehanna's nine, but Kramer's nine saves aided the River Hawks in seeing the game out and took him to the top of the Landmark Conference in saves with 35 in five appearances thus far.
- Nine different River Hawks tallied shots, with Diglio and Kreisher offering two.
- PSU-Harrisburg won 11 corners, but were unable to capitalize on them, while the River Hawks turned one of their three into the second goal. Susquehanna also committed 10 fouls to the visitors' 13.
- Jim Findlay made six changes in the team's first home win of 2025, as Cole Kline, Ciampi, McDonald, Kuderka, Clark, and McCarthy all started.
- Clark and McDonald netted their first career goals, while McCarthy and Diglio registered assists for the first time as River Hawks.
UP NEXT FOR SU
- A trip to Immaculata on Saturday, September 20th is followed by a home meeting with King's (PA) the following Tuesday. Landmark Conference action begins on Saturday, September 27th, as Susquehanna host Scranton at Sassafras Field.
