WASHINGTON, D.C. – For a half the Gallaudet University men's soccer team went toe-to-toe with the best squad in the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) but in the end Penn St.-Harrisburg was too strong for the Bison as the visiting Lions won 3-0 on Saturday night at Hotchkiss Field.

Gallaudet (0-5, 0-1 NEAC) made a good impression in its first-ever NEAC game. Junior Poloko Qobose (Gaborone, Botswana) was making his acrobatic saves, which are almost routine now for the 5-foot-8 goalie, as he ended the game with 13 stops. Penn St.-Harrisburg (5-1, 1-0 NEAC) pelted the Gallaudet goal with 23 shots in the first half and 24 in the second half. The two teams went into halftime tied at 0-0.

The Bison had a golden opportunity to score in the opening minutes of the second half as senior Zane Noschese (Pittsburgh, Pa.) had a fast-break opportunity. Noschese blasted a strong shot but it went wide of the Lion goal.

Penn St.-Harrisburg marched down the field and scored the game's first goal as Brendan Garner booted in his second goal of the year from 25 yards out. Caleb Hoppes headed home a goal in the 61st minute off a corner kick from Jorge Avila. The third and final goal of the game came off the foot of Daniel Francis, his ninth of the year, in the 69th minute.

Qobose did leave the game in the 75th minute after he took a shot off his face as he made a great save for the Bison. Freshman Jordan Ramser (Louisville, Ky.) entered and closed out the game for the Bison and made three saves.

This is the first year for Gallaudet University athletics in the NEAC as it joined this past summer after spending 20 years in the Capital Athletic Conference.

Gallaudet will next be in action on Wednesday, September 22, under the lights against Southern Virginia University for a 7:30 p.m. non-conference game. SVU defeated Gallaudet 5-1 on September 11.