MEDIA, Pa. – St. Mary’s College of Maryland’s men’s soccer team secured a commanding 4-1 victory on Saturday, October 12, against Penn State Brandywine, keeping their undefeated streak alive in United East Conference play. The Seahawks improved to 4-0 in the conference, bringing their overall record to 5-6-2, while Brandywine fell to 3-7-3 and remains winless in conference play.
How It Unfolded
The Seahawks wasted no time in getting on the scoreboard, netting their first goal less than 10 minutes into the match. Junior midfielder Jack Nelson capitalized on a free kick from senior forward Alex Ochman, heading the ball into the net at the near post for an early 1-0 lead at the 9:42 mark.
As halftime approached, St. Mary’s extended their lead to 2-0. Junior midfielder Ned Schauermann slotted a pass from first-year forward Nick Haney into the far side of the goal, scoring at 43:05 and giving the Seahawks a comfortable advantage heading into the break.
In the second half, Ochman continued to contribute, setting up another goal at the 54:00 mark. First-year midfielder Zach Blaum finished Ochman’s corner kick with a flick at the near post, increasing the Seahawks’ lead to 3-0.
Just over three minutes later, St. Mary’s further padded their lead. Senior forward Abdoul Anounkou received a well-placed pass from Blaum and finished the play with a shot into the lower left corner, making it 4-0 in favor of the Seahawks.
Penn State Brandywine managed to avoid a shutout in the 63rd minute when Kyle Reuter scored on a free kick that slipped past the St. Mary’s wall and into the near post, narrowing the gap to 4-1. However, that would be the Lions’ only goal of the match.
Game Stats
St. Mary’s dominated the match with an 18-7 shot advantage, including 11 shots on target compared to Brandywine’s five. The Seahawks also held a 5-2 edge in corner kicks.
For the Seahawks, Zach Blaum led the way with a goal and an assist, while Alex Ochman provided two assists. Junior goalkeeper Zack Reed made four saves, earning his first win of the season.
On the Lions’ side, Dakari Burton led the team with two shots, one of which was on target. Goalkeeper Elijah DeBooth registered four saves during his 60 minutes of play, while Will Manarpaac added three saves in relief.
Streak and Next Games
The victory marks St. Mary’s third consecutive win, their longest winning streak of the season. The Seahawks will aim to continue their momentum in the coming week with two important matches on the horizon.
St. Mary’s returns to action at home on October 16, hosting Notre Dame (Md.), a team currently standing at 3-9 overall and 2-4 in the UEC. The match will take place at 7:30 p.m. at JLR Stadium.
The Seahawks will then face a tough challenge when they travel to Middletown, Pennsylvania, to play Penn State Harrisburg on October 19. Penn State Harrisburg boasts an impressive 11-3-1 overall record and, like St. Mary’s, holds a perfect 4-0 record in conference play. Kickoff is set for 3:00 p.m.
