KINGS POINT, N.Y. (Sept. 17, 2023) – The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy men's soccer team came back to tie twice in their Sunday matinee at Tomb Field. Playing at Brooks Stadium for the first time since last season's Skyline Finals against Yeshiva, USMMA and the Penn State Harrisburg Lions played to a 2-2 tie this afternoon. The Lions left Kings Point with a 2-3-2 record while the Mariners' record moved to 0-4-3.
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Just like Wednesday's game, the Mariners came out chasing the opposition. Penn State Harrisburg recorded the game's first nine shots. Senior goalkeeper
Ashton Carey (Pasadena, Md.) was tested early and often in the first half. Carey made five saves in a span of 12 minutes and 16 seconds before Alexander Benbatoul scored on a rebound to put the Lions up 1-0.
In what became the theme of the game, USMMA responded instantly to the goal against. Off a signature throw in from junior
Derek Vanasse (Camarillo Calif.), sophomore
Michael Hofstetter (Deer Park, N.Y.) tied the game with his second goal of the season. Hofstetter's header knotted the game up at 1-1 only one minute and 18 seconds after Benatoul opened the scoring.
The biggest under the radar moment of the first half was perhaps a substitution by Mariners head coach
Drew McCarthy. McCarthy sent in sophomore defenseman
Colin Mushorn (Massapequa, N.Y.) with 15:52 remaining in the opening 45 minutes. From that point on, Merchant Marine allowed only two Penn State shots the rest of the first half. The Mariners escaped to halftime tied 1-1 despite being outshot 14-1 and 7-1 in shots on goal.
As the Mariners so often do, in-game adjustments were made at halftime to slow down the Lions attack. USMMA came out in the second half much more patient with the ball and limited Penn State's opportunities to create turnovers.
The Lions adjusted accordingly and went back to their speed style of offense and jumped back in front 2-1 on a header goal from Ethan Cortes with only 16:23 remaining. Cortes' go-ahead goal was Penn State's first shot on net in the half and would end up being the Lions' only shot on goal in the final 45 minutes.
Desperate to avoid their fifth loss of the season, the Mariners once again punched right back. With a free kick on the far side of the field, sophomore
John Germain (Cornwall, N.Y.) showed off his big left leg and tied the game with a laser beam into the middle of the net. For the second time in the game, the Mariners tied the game less than two minutes after the Lions went in front. Germain's goal came one minute and 44 seconds after Cortes put Penn State up 2-1.
Even at 2-2, both teams clamped down defensively in the final 14:39. Germain's game-tying strike would be the last shot on goal of the afternoon. USMMA's defense only allowed three shots the rest of the way as the 2-2 tie became official.
Merchant Marine will look to break into the win column for the first time on Tuesday night, Sept. 19, at Bartoszek Field when they host the Farmingdale State Rams in a rematch of last year's Skyline Semifinals. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m. Live stats and a live video feed of the game will be available with links on
the USMMA Men's Soccer Schedule Page.
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