ERIE, Pa. (Sept. 1, 2023) - For a 5:22 span in Georgian Court's Men's Soccer season opener, there were four goals scored. For the other 84:38, there was just one. Unfortunately for GCU, three of those goals in 5:22 came from Gannon and that was all they needed to hold off the Lions 3-2 in their season opener.
How it Happened
• Possession was mostly even with Gannon holding a slight 52%-48% advantage.
• The Golden Knights also had a 15-13 edge in shots and 4-2 in shots on goal.
• There were five total cautions in the game with Gannon responsible for four of them. They were also called four 17 fouls to the Lions 10.
• The first half was a feeling-out process to get underway. It took 18 minutes for the first shot of the game, a header from
Gijs Van Eif that sailed wide.
• Georgian Court's defense was doing a fantastic job keeping play in front of them in the early going.
• The Lions struck first in the 27th minute.
Gijs Van Eif's shot rang off the post but
Mathias Madersbacher was right there to clean up the rebound for a 1-0 lead.
• Gannon's offense picked up in the latter stages of the first half getting five shots off, but none on target.
• After 45 minutes the Lions led 1-0 with shots even at five. Gannon was called for three times as many fouls as the Lions 9-3 and were also issued a yellow card.
• The first 15 minutes of the second started out similarly to the first without many scoring opportunities.
• That changed very quickly though with four goals scored in a 5:22 span, the final three all just 1:34 apart.
• Gannon tied the game at one after getting through the Lion defense with some short passes inside the 18. Sverre Orten found Tinashe Katsande who finished low for the game-tying goal.
• Shortly after, the Golden Knights took their first lead. A cross pass from about 10 yards out from Herman Aanberg found James Pool right at the goal who one-touched it into the net.
• Georgian Court found the equalizer though a minute later.
Joseph Juarez ripped a shot off the crossbar from 30 yards out. Just like the Lions first goal, the ball ricocheted directly this time to
James Besser who quickly passed to
David Tuschmann and Tuschmann finished high and left, tying the game at two.
• The game wasn't tied for very long though. A Gannon free kick from 50 yards out was perfectly placed into the box. Rafa Hyde's attempt at a header found Pau Ferrer at the goal mouth who chipped it into the net giving Gannon the lead back.
• Georgian Court attempted five more shots the rest of the way, but none found their way on target. In the closing seconds, GCU had a corner kick opportunity but couldn't get a good scoring opportunity out of it as time expired.
Lions Stat Leaders
•
Mathias Madersbacher had three shots and scored a goal.
•
David Tuschmann added GCU's second goal.
•
James Besser and
Gijs Van Eif each tallied an assist. Van Eif led GCU with four shots.
•
Ayendi Batista got the start in goal for GCU and made one save while seeing 15 shots, four on net.
For the Golden Knights
• James Pool's only shot found the back of the net.
• Pau Ferrer and Tinashe Katsande each had two shots and one goal.
• Herman Aanberg, Sverre Orten and Rafa Hyde all picked up an assist.
• Samuel Alarcon saw two shots on target and both were Lion goals.
News and Notes
•
David Tuschmann likes season openers and he likes playing against Gannon. Last year and this year GCU and Gannon met to start the season and Tuschmann has scored in each. Of his three career goals in 13 games, two have come against the Golden Knights.
• This is the second straight season GCU has started the year with a 3-2 loss at the hands of Gannon.
• After missing the final five games in 2022,
Mathias Madersbacher scored in his first game back. The seventh goal of his career.
• The start in goal for Batista was the first in the career of the sophomore.
Up Next
• Georgian Court will stay in Erie, PA over the weekend. They're back on the field Sunday at No. 25 Mercyhurst for a 1 p.m. kickoff.
