LHU men’s soccer extends win streak, locks up top-seed in PSAC East

RecordStaffOctober 31, 2021Last Updated: October 31, 2021

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Photo courtesy Lock Haven University athletics

EAST STROUDSBURG, PA – Saturday night saw the Lock Haven University men’s soccer team (11-2-2, 9-1-1 PSAC East) down East Stroudsburg University (6-7-2, 4-4-2 PSAC East), 3-1, in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division matchup with playoff implications on the line.

Lock Haven fell behind early to the Warriors when Hunter Paone grabbed a goal just three minutes into the opening half. The Bald Eagles, however, responded quickly as Samuel Hershey (Lancaster, Pa./McCaskey) found the back of the net just minutes later off an assist from Beckham Sibiski (Kutztown, Pa./Kutztown H.S.) in the 10th minute to tie the game at 1-1. The tandem hooked up again in the 16th minute, but this time it was Sibiski who beat the ESU goalkeeper on a helper from Hershey. LHU took a 2-1 lead into the halftime break.

Hershey kept his red-hot form going in the second half on a solo goal to give The Haven the 3-1 advantage. The Bald Eagles held that lead until the final whistle for an all-important victory. Hershey’s second goal moved him into a tie for second place in the PSAC with 10, while Sibiski’s 10th assist moved him back into first place in the conference.

The win locked LHU into the No. 1 seed in the PSAC Eastern Division for the upcoming conference tournament. It also extended the Bald Eagles winning streak to five games, which marks the Bald Eagles second such streak of the season.

Aitor Ruiz de Eguilaz (Euskadi, Spain/Koldo Mitxelena (Robert Morris)) was strong in goal for LHU making nine crucial saves as the Bald Eagles shut down the Warriors after the early opening goal.

Defensively, the LHU defenders made life difficult for East Stroudsburg as Connor Burke (Schnecksville, Pa./Parkland), Dean Lewis (Belfast, Northern Ireland/Model Boys School) and David Dries (Wyomissing, Pa./Wilson) all played the full 90 minutes on the backline.

The Bald Eagles host Daemen on Tuesday night. That game serves as Senior Night for Lock Haven and kickoff is set for 5 p.m.