Pennsylvania College of Technology men's soccer coach Enrique Castillo not only wanted his team to return to the top of the Penn State University Athletic Conference this season, but to do so convincingly.
That showed Saturday as Penn College outshot second-seededPenn StateNew Kensington, 37-4, and won 2-0.
Scoring goals were Seth Rearick (Watsontown) and Tristan Smith (Bermuda). Goalkeeper Dan Shaffer (Shermans Dale) had three saves as the Wildcats notched their seventh shutout of the conference season and finished with an 11-0 record in all PSUAC matches. The championship is the sixth in seven years for Penn College.
Now, the men's soccer team and the college cross-country runners turn their attention to the national scene as they step into United States Collegiate Athletic Association playoffs later this week.
In the most recent USCAA Coaches' Poll, the men's soccer team, 15-3 overall, was ranked No. 4 nationally. It will compete at Vermont Technical College Friday through Sunday in Burlington, Vt. A year ago, the Wildcats tied for fourth nationally.
After capturing the PSUAC individual cross-country championship last week, Jake Shedden (Canton) received Honorable Mention recognition from the USCAA as a Player of the Week. In the national event Friday at New Hampshire Technical Institute in Concord, N.H., the men (43-10 overall) will run an 8K course at noon and the women a 6K course at 11 a.m. Although they don't have enough runners to field a team, several Penn College women also will seek individual honors. Mike Paulhamus coaches both the men's and women's teams.
FLASHBACK Men's SoccerThe Wildcats closed out their regular season with a 2-1 loss to NCAA Division III Misericordia University on Monday. Chris Brennan (New Hope) scored the lone Penn College goal as it saw its 10-game win streak snapped. In a PSUAC semifinal Wednesday, the Wildcats got a pair of goals from Patrick Massango (Cameroon) and one from Cody Sollenberger (Lancaster) in a 3-1 win over No. 4 seedPenn StateBrandywine that lifted them into Saturday's conference championship against No. 2 seedPenn StateNew Kensington.
Women's Soccer Penn College completed a 6-7 season under first-year coach Markus Rybak after blanking Penn StateBeaver, 5-0, in its finale Thursday. Senior Kim Daley (Springfield Center, N.Y.) scored four goals and senior Samantha Wallish (Harrisburg) added another as the Wildcats snapped a three-game losing streak. Penn College's defense didn't allow any shots on goal.
ON THE HORIZONPenn College's coed bowling team opens its fifth season under coach Deb Vincenzes at 3 p.m. Tuesday at Faxon Lanes. Penn College competes in the Eastern Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference and the Pennsylvania Collegiate Athletic Association.
SCHEDULE/RESULTS Cross-Country Men's overall record: 43-10 Final PSUAC record: 16-0 (won PSUAC championship)Friday, Nov. 5 USCAA National Championships at Concord, N.H.
Golf Final overall record: 20-6 Final PSUAC record: 18-3 (finished second in PSUAC and fifth in USCAA)
Men's Soccer Overall record: 15-3 PSUAC record: 11-0 (9-0 regular season) Monday, Oct. 25 host Misericordia University, L, 2-1 Wednesday, Oct. 27 host No. 4Penn StateBrandywine in PSUAC semifinal, W, 3-1 Saturday, Oct. 30 host No. 2 New Kensington in PSUAC Championship, W, 2-0 Friday-Sunday, Nov. 5-7 USCAA National Championships at Vermont Technical Institute, to be announced
Women's Soccer Final overall record: 6-7Thursday, Oct. 28 host Penn State Beaver, W, 5-0
Coed Tennis Final overall/PSUAC records: 14-4 (won PSUAC championship)
Women's volleyball Final overall record: 17-7 Final PSUAC record: 14-4 (reached PSUAC semifinals)
BowlingTuesday, Nov. 2 host EPCC Invitational at Faxon Lanes, 3 p.m.
(Complete rosters and season schedules are available on the college's Athletics Web site . For more information on the PSUAC, visit on the Web; more about the USCAA also is available online.)
Vol. 9, No. 12