Swope hat trick powers Men’s Soccer to PSAC West victory vs. UPJ
LOCK HAVEN – Connor Swope secured a hat trick to vault the Lock Haven men’s soccer team to a 4-2 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division victory over the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown on Wednesday night (Oct. 2).
In front of a packed crowd during the program’s West Branch Soccer Club Appreciation game, The Haven secured its fourth victory in five games to improve to 4-3-1 overall and 2-0 in the PSAC West. The Mountain Cats fall to 3-5 overall and 0-1 in conference play.
Swope’s hat trick is the first for the program since Sept. 3, 2022. Swope scored twice in the first half and once in the second half, all coming from Lock Haven set pieces.
Ryan Miller scored the fourth and final goal for The Haven, the first of his career. Danny Ogan dished out assists on two of the four goals.
In net, reigning PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Week Ethan Beck finished with a pair of saves to earn his second goalkeeping victory in as many games.
The Lock Haven attack controlled the flow of the game and the Bald Eagles finished with a game-high 14 shots. Swope led the way with five attempts, including three scores.
The Haven defense held Shepherd to just three shot attempts in the second half, allowing the Bald Eagles to pull away for the victory.
In the first half, the Bald Eagles kicked off the scoring in just the 12th minute to take an early lead.
Swope, who has a knack for creating havoc over the last month, found the back of the net off a free kick from 18-yards out.
However, the Mountain Cats scored twice unanswered to lead 2-1 at the 29-minute mark.
The slugfest continued and Swope buried his second goal of the match with eight minutes remaining in the half, after he and Danny Ogan ran a give-and-go on a free kick from 20 yards out.
With the score tied at 2-2, Swope netted his third goal of the game – set up following a free kick for the third time – to give the Bald Eagles a 3-2 lead, just six minutes into the second half.
Ryan Miller put the exclamation point on the match in the 72nd minute after he headed in a free kick off the foot of Ogan.
NEXT UP
The Bald Eagles travel to Gannon on Saturday, Oct. 5 for a PSAC West match at 6:30 p.m.
