In a dramatic semifinal showdown, top-seeded St. Mary’s College of Maryland defeated Penn State Harrisburg, 4-3, in a penalty shootout on Tuesday night. The Seahawks (10-6-3), defending United East champions, will now face No. 2 seed Penn State Abington on Saturday, Nov. 9, at Jamie L. Roberts Stadium for the conference title.
This win propels St. Mary’s College to its third consecutive United East championship game. The Seahawks’ semifinal match against fourth-seeded Penn State Harrisburg (14-4-3) ended in a 1-1 draw, pushing the game into a tense penalty shootout. In the other semifinal, Abington secured a 2-1 victory over third-seeded Cairn University (11-3-5), setting up Saturday’s championship clash.
Narrow Shootout Victory for the Seahawks
St. Mary’s College clinched the semifinal win in a penalty shootout after a closely contested game that saw both teams trading shots and saves. The deciding goal came from senior forward Alex Ochman, who struck his penalty into the lower right corner, bringing the score to 4-3 in favor of St. Mary’s.
The shootout began with Harrisburg taking an early lead. Tyler Madairy found the lower left corner of the net, and Harrisburg goalkeeper Shayon Kashi managed to stop a shot from Seahawks’ fifth-year captain Luke Duswalt, giving Harrisburg a 1-0 advantage. The Seahawks soon leveled the score after senior forward Abdoul Anounkou hit the lower left corner.
As the shootout progressed, both teams exchanged goals, moving to a 2-2 tie after goals by Harrisburg’s Tai Bhalla and SMCM’s sophomore midfielder Tyler Foti. St. Mary’s gained an edge when sophomore goalkeeper Zack Reed made a crucial save, blocking a shot from Harrisburg’s Colin O’Hara. Junior midfielder Ryan Cooper followed up with a successful attempt for St. Mary’s, putting the Seahawks ahead at 3-2.
Harrisburg’s Ricardo Bustamente kept the Lions in contention by tying the shootout at 3-3 with his final kick. However, Ochman sealed the victory for St. Mary’s with a shot to the lower right corner, advancing his team to the championship game.
Regulation and Overtime Play
During regulation, Harrisburg struck first, gaining a 1-0 lead in the 23rd minute. Jaden Longdon found the net off an assist from O’Hara, driving the ball into the lower right corner. St. Mary’s responded in the 72nd minute when first-year midfielder Zach Blaum scored, equalizing the match off a pass from Foti.
The game went into two overtime periods with no additional goals scored. Harrisburg pressured St. Mary’s in the second overtime, outshooting them 3-1, though all attempts went wide.
Statistical Breakdown
Harrisburg led the shot count with an 18-14 advantage, including five shots on goal compared to St. Mary’s four. The Lions also dominated in corner kicks, earning eight to St. Mary’s three. For the Seahawks, Ochman recorded four shots, with one on target, while Reed made four saves to keep St. Mary’s in the game. Harrisburg’s O’Hara led his team with five shots and one assist, while Kashi made three saves in goal.
The Seahawks’ semifinal victory also marked a milestone, ending a streak against Harrisburg in St. Mary’s City. Since a 2018 win, the Seahawks had been unable to defeat Harrisburg at home, going 0-1-4 in their last five matchups at St. Mary’s.
Looking Ahead
With this win, St. Mary’s College will host Penn State Abington in the United East Conference Championship on Saturday, Nov. 9, at Jamie L. Roberts Stadium. As the defending champions, the Seahawks are eager to retain their title and secure back-to-back conference victories.
