Click here for Coach Donnelly's thoughts on the bus heading to the game. 

Utica, Ny - The Penn State men's team weathered the storm this past few days only to then head straight into another one in the form of a PSH vs SUNY IT soccer match.   This would be the third time in three straight years that these two teams found each other in the playoff rounds.  The past two years SUNY IT has taken home the NEAC championship from the outstretched hands of the Harrisburg men in the conference finals. 

This year would be different; they would meet in the first round of playoffs.  The blue and white traveled to Utica to face off against the Wildcats.  From the starting whistle you could see both teams were not ready to end their seasons.  The first half had plenty of back of forth attacking and defending from both teams, yet no one would find the net. 

The second half was more of the same as the chances showed up briefly time and time again only to be shut down by a diving save or shot that just missed wide or high keeping the score total at 0 after a full 90 minutes of battling.  Once the overtime periods started there was a feeling in the air that we could have a PK shootout settle things just like two years earlier in the NEAC final when Harrisburg had to take the long trip home thinking of how things could have been different.  This year the blue and white men refused to quit.  It seemed all their hard work came together and a very even game just felt that it was the lions turn to get the bounce.  You could also call it pounce, because that is exactly what Goal Keeper Charlie Gryson (Belaire, Md./ Calvert Hall)  did the entire game including in the Penalty shootout to seal the win for Harrisburg. 

The men will now face off against first place tournament host Penn State Abington this upcoming Saturday in the conference Semi-Finals.