WASHINGTON – For close to 85 minutes here Tuesday evening the United East men's soccer game between Gallaudet University and Penn St.-Berks was close as the two teams went back-and-forth on Hotchkiss Field.

Gallaudet (1-7, 1-1 United East) was forced to play defense early as two quick goals by Penn St.-Berks (2-9, 1-0 United East) set the tone. The Nittany Lions added two goals in the final three minutes as they won their first conference game this season with a 4-0 shutout over the Bison.

First-year goalie John McCabe (Norwalk, Conn.) made a career-high 16 saves as Penn St.-Berks tallied 31 shots (21 on goal) during the 90-minute contest.

McCabe made one of his nine first half saves on a hard shot by Terridine Grant in the sixth minute but couldn't corral the loose ball before Callan Stuck slammed home the first goal. Grant was on the receiving end of a long pass from Nicholas McMasters at the 8:01 mark as the Nittany Lions led 2-0.

The 2-0 score lasted for the rest of the first half and for 42 minutes in the second half before Penn St.-Berks received a second goal from the combo of Grant to Stuck and unassisted tally from Suyash Bhandarkar with 1:26 left in regulation.

GU had several chances of their own with one of their best opportunities coming on a free kick in the offensive side of the field in the first half. Senior midfielder Matteo Giansanti (Rome, Italy) blasted a shot from 30 yards out that rang off the right post and just missed cutting into the two-goal deficit.

Giansanti, the reigning United East Offensive Player of the Week, led the Bison with three shots (two on goal).

UP NEXT
Gallaudet will continue its homestand next Tuesday, Oct. 7, against Penn St.-Abington (2-5-3, 1-0 United East) at 5 p.m. in a conference game at Hotchkiss Field.