Penn College News

Penn College soccer teams secure playoff spots

Sunday, October 20, 2024

Pennsylvania College of Technology men’s and women’s soccer teams assured themselves of United East postseason action this past week while the golf team’s fall season concluded.

Women’s Soccer
Penn College upped its unbeaten streak to 15 on Wednesday with a 6-0 UE win at Wilson College, with freshman Megan Kurian of Royersford scoring three goals and Nicole Lichtinger of Erie making one stop in goal while earning her 10th shutout of the season and lowering her goals against average to 0.09. The victory also assured the team of its third straight playoff appearance and its eighth postseason berth in the NCAA era (since 2014).

Cassie Johnson of Richland cashed in on a penalty kick in the 14th minute and Brooke Klinger of Herndon scored in the 43rd minute of a 2-1 UE win at Lancaster Bible College on Saturday as the Wildcats stayed unbeaten through a program-record 16 matches. Defensively, Lichtinger made a pair of saves in goal and Penn College limited LB to three shots on goal.

UE standings through Sunday: Penn State Harrisburg 6-0-1, Penn College 5-0-1, St. Mary’s (Md.) College 5-0-1, Penn State Abington 4-0-2, Penn State Berks 4-1-1, Cairn University 5-2, Bryn Athyn 3-2-1, Lancaster Bible College 3-3, Wilson College 3-3, Cedar Crest 2-3-1, Rosemont 2-4, St. Elizabeth University 2-5, Notre Dame (Md.) 1-4-1, Valley Forge 0-6-1, Keystone College 0-6, Penn State Brandywine 0-6.

Record/Schedule/Series History
Overall: 12-0-4
UE: 5-0-1
Wednesday, Oct. 16 — host Wilson College (UE), W, 6-0
Saturday, Oct. 19 — at Lancaster Bible College (UE), W, 2-1
Tuesday, Oct. 22 — host Keystone College (UE), 5 p.m. (Penn College leads 3-0-2)
Saturday, Oct. 26 — host Bryn Athyn (UE, Senior Day), 1 p.m. (Penn College leads 1-0)
Tuesday, Oct. 29-Saturday, Nov. 9 — United East playoffs (top 12 of 16 teams), TBA

Men’s Soccer
In a home UE defensive struggle against Wilson College on Wednesday, Jack Lenosky of Moon Township scored in the 31st minute to lift the Wildcats in a 1-0 victory. In the goal, Justin Potts of Media made one save as the team earned its second consecutive trip to postseason play.

At Lancaster Bible College in UE play on Saturday, the team fought to a 1-1 draw, with Logan Stapleton of Chambersburg scoring the lone Penn College goal in the 19th minute. Potts made four saves in goal.

UE standings through Sunday: Penn State Abington 6-0, Cairn University 6-0, St. Mary’s (Md.) College 6-0, St. Elizabeth University 6-1, Penn State Harrisburg 5-1, Penn College 4-1-1, Rosemont College 3-3, Keystone College 2-3-1, Lancaster Bible College 2-3-1, Penn State Brandywine 2-4, Notre Dame (Md.) 2-5, Penn State Berks 1-4-1, Gallaudet University 1-5, Wilson College 1-6, Bryn Athyn 1-6, Valley Forge 0-6.

Record/Schedule/Series History
Overall: 9-4-2
UE: 4-1-1
Wednesday, Oct. 16 — host Wilson College (UE), W, 1-0
Saturday, Oct. 19 — at Lancaster Bible College (UE), T, 1-1
Tuesday, Oct. 22 — host Cairn University (UE), 7:30 p.m. (first-time opponent)
Saturday, Oct. 26 — at Valley Forge (UE), 1 p.m. (Penn College leads 1-0)
Wednesday, Oct. 30-Saturday, Nov. 9 — United East playoffs (top 12 of 16 teams), TBA

Men’s Golf
Peyton Mussina of Montoursville had rounds of 69 on Tuesday and 73 on Wednesday for a 142 total as he medaled to lead a 52-player field in the Alvernia University Fall Invitational Battle at Bulle Rock Golf Course. It marked the third time this season, and the ninth time in his three-year career, that he has medaled. In team competition, the Wildcats placed sixth among 11, with only three shots separating the numbers 4, 5 and 6 squads.

Led by Mussina, who recorded a 4-under-par 140 total after two rounds of 70 and tied for third among 61 golfers, Penn College tallied a 603 and tied for seventh in an 11-team field over the weekend in the George Cangero Invitational at the Bethpage State Park Blue Golf Course as the fall season came to an end.

After five birdies on Saturday, Mussina closed with five birdies and six pars over his last 11 holes on Sunday to finish four shots behind the winners. Also for the Wildcats, Brady Handy of Huntingdon fired a 79-74—153, tied for 37th; Gunner Redmond of Lock Haven shot 76-78—154, tied for 40th; Will Orwig of Mifflintown shot 78-78—156, tied for 45th; and Logan Gawlinski of Kittanning came home with an 85-79—164, tied for 53rd.

Going into the weekend tournament, according to the NCAA Division III Scoreboard powered by Clipped website, Mussina was second of 257 in the Region III and 31st of 2,209 nationally. As a team, Penn College was 20th of 36 in the region and 176th of 271 nationally.

Also last week, for the ninth time in his three-year career and second time this fall, Mussina was named United East Golfer of the Week for Oct. 7-13. His honor comes after he earned his third consecutive UE Fall Preview individual title and led the Wildcats to their third straight team title in play at the Chambersburg Country Club on Oct. 7.

Schedule
Tuesday-Wednesday, Oct. 15-16 — Alvernia University Fall Invitational at Bulle Rock Golf Course, 6 of 11
Saturday-Sunday, Oct. 19-20 — George Cangero Invitational at Bethpage State Park Blue Golf Course, tied 7 of 11
End of fall season

Women’s Volleyball
In a 3-0 UE loss to Keystone College on Tuesday, Hailey DeBrody of Cogan Station had 12 digs and eight kills, while Jo Hess of Jersey Shore had 12 assists.

On Thursday at Penn State Harrisburg, Ava Harple of Downingtown had 11 digs, Hess had 11 assists and Nevaeh Ward of Odenton, Maryland, had seven kills in a 3-0 loss.

At Gallaudet University in a tri-match on Saturday, the Wildcats lost to Gallaudet in UE action, 3-0, and lost 3-0 in a nonconference match against first-time foe McDaniel College. Against Gallaudet, Ward had seven kills, Lana Howard of Liberty, New Jersey, had five digs, two aces and two blocks, and Hess had 12 assists. Against McDaniel, Ward led with six kills and four aces, DeBrody had four blocks, Laney Wolfe of Ford City had 12 digs and Hess had 12 assists.

UE standings through Sunday: Gallaudet University 6-0, Lancaster Bible College 5-0, St. Mary’s (Md.) College 6-1, Cairn University 5-1, Penn State Harrisburg 5-1, Keystone College 4-2, Penn State Abington 4-2, Cedar Crest College 3-3, Notre Dame (Md.) University 3-3, Penn State Brandywine 2-4, Bryn Athyn 2-4, Wilson College 2-4, Penn State Berks 1-4, Rosemont College 1-5, St. Elizabeth University 1-5, Penn College 1-6, Valley Forge 0-6.

Record/Schedule/Series History
Overall: 3-20
UE: 1-6
Tuesday, Oct. 15 — host Keystone College (UE), L, 3-0 (13-25, 14-25, 12-25)
Thursday, Oct. 17 — at Penn State Harrisburg (UE), L, 3-0 (16-25, 6-25, 14-25)
Saturday, Oct. 19 — at Gallaudet University vs. Gallaudet (UE), L, 3-0 (6-25, 12-25, 12-25); vs. McDaniel College, L, 3-0 (18-25, 19-25, 17-25)
Friday, Oct. 25 — at Widener University, 7 p.m. (Widener leads 1-0)
Saturday, Oct. 26 — host St. Mary’s (Md.) College (UE), 1 p.m. (St. Mary’s leads 4-0)
Tuesday, Oct. 29 — host Penn State Abington (UE), 6 p.m. (Abington leads 10-0)
Saturday, Nov. 2 — at St. Elizabeth College (UE), 1 p.m. (St. Elizabeth leads 4-1)
Wednesday, Nov. 6-Saturday, Nov. 16 — United East playoffs (top 12 of 17 teams), TBA

Men’s/Women’s Cross-Country
Schedule
Saturday, Nov. 2 — United East Championships hosted by St. Mary’s (Md.) College, men 11 a.m., women noon

Former AD passes
Former athletic director and baseball coach Michael J. Stanzione unexpectedly passed on Oct. 15 at age 70. Stanzione served from 1991-2008 and coached baseball from 1992-2004.

Stanzione was inducted into the college’s inaugural Athletics Hall of Fame class in 2012, recognizing his efforts in rebuilding the college’s athletics program and in serving as head baseball coach for 13 seasons, during which time his teams won 261 games and five conference championships. He was a five-time coach of the year and was the first Penn College coach to attain 100-plus career wins.

For additional information, visit the Wildcats Athletics website.
For more about the United East, visit the conference website.