GWYNEDD VALLEY, PA- The Keystone College men's soccer team battled for all 90 minutes Friday evening, putting together a strong second-half effort in a hard-fought 1-0 contest against Gwynedd Mercy University at the GMercyU Athletic Complex.
The Giants came out with energy and created several opportunities throughout the opening half, including shots from Joel Calle (Hicksville, NY/Hicksville), John Covert (Union Beach, NJ/Keyport) and Matheus de Farias (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Layton Christian Academy). Keystone goalkeeper Kolten McVean (Dickinson, TX/Dickinson) also made a key save in the opening half to keep the Giants within striking distance.
Gwynedd Mercy broke through in the 27th minute when Gunnar Christensen found the back of the net off an assist from Dominic Lodise, giving the hosts a 1-0 advantage heading into halftime.
Keystone responded with a determined second-half performance.
The Giants immediately applied pressure after the break, earning three corner kicks within the first 14 minutes of the half. Keystone continued to generate offensive chances as Joel Calle (Hicksville, NY/Hicksville) and Barrett Wood (Norfolk, VA/Matthew Fontaine Maury) each fired shots, while the Giants repeatedly worked the ball into the attacking third.
Keystone's pressure continued to build as the half progressed. Nico Bernardo (Palm Bay, FL/Bayside) came close in the 73rd minute, first having a shot blocked before forcing a save from Gwynedd Mercy goalkeeper Cody Sell moments later.
The Giants continued to push for the equalizer late. Keystone earned additional corner opportunities in the final 15 minutes, while Lenskey Raoul (Neptune Township, NJ/Neptune) put a shot on goal in the 89th minute that was turned aside by Sell. Marcos Louzada (Guacui, Espirito Santo, Brazil/The Webb School) followed with another opportunity in the final minute, narrowly missing the target.
Despite the final result, Keystone's second-half pressure was evident in the final statistics. The Giants outshot Gwynedd Mercy, 11-5, including a 7-1 advantage in the second half, while earning all five of their corner kicks after halftime.
Raoul, Calle and Bernardo each recorded two shots for the Giants, while McVean made one save during the opening half before Max Wasserzug (Virginia Beach, VA/Green Run) played the second half in goal. Wasserzug helped keep the deficit at one as Keystone continued its push down the stretch.
The Giants return home looking to notch their first win of the season against Misericordia University in a non-conference matchup slated for Saturday, September 5 at 6:00 PM.
