The fourth-ranked Gannon University men’s soccer team kept its winning streak alive and improved to 5-0 Wednesday following a Millersville own-goal that gave the Knights a 2-1 win on the road.
Millersville got on the scoring sheet 30 minutes into the match with a goal from Jake Gosselin. Six minutes later, Gannon responded with a goal from Toby Gower, which came off an assist from Anthony Marafioti.
Later in the 84th minute, a shot by Gannon’s Tinashe Katsande deflected off Millersville defender Mattea Adiletta and found its way past goalkeeper Brady Hochman.
That would prove to be the decider as Gannon escaped with the victory over the Marauders, dropping them to 3-3-1 on the season.
That victory solidifies Gannon’s status as the only school in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference with an undefeated record going into Wednesday’s 4 p.m. matchup with Bloomsburg at McConnell Family Stadium.
The Knights, who moved up four spots in the United Soccer Coaches Top-25 poll released Tuesday, will then take on California at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at home in their PSAC opener.
Gannon dominated the stat sheet against Millersville with 14 total shots and eight on target, eclipsing the 12 total shots and four on target from the Marauders.
Gannon goalkeeper Chandler Hallwood finished with three saves and was named PSAC West defensive player of the week for third time this season.
Gannon’s women’s team, meanwhile, is coming off two hard-fought outings in the past week against California and Edinboro. The Knights snapped a three-game losing streak by edging California, 2-1, on Sept. 25 and then tied Edinboro, 2-2, in a road match Saturday.
That left Gannon’s record at 3-3-1 overall and 2-3-1 in PSAC play going into Saturday’s 5 p.m. meeting with Clarion at McConnell Family Stadium.
Goals from Emily Cekella and Megan McCartney proved to be enough to take down California. Elisabeth Engle got the scoring for California started very early in the first minute of the game. An early giveaway led to a shot from the edge of the box that sailed over Gannon goalkeeper Kennedy Solymosi and into the back of the net, giving California the early lead.
Cekella responded for the Knights in the 18th minute with a corner delivered into the box from Kayla Bevacqua that she headed into the top corner past the goalkeeper to level the score at 1-1.
The Knights kept the pressure high in the second half and drew a foul inside the California box for a penalty In the game’s 86th minute of play.
McCartney made no mistake from the spot as she sent the goalkeeper the wrong way and put the ball in the top left corner for the game-winning goal.
Against Edinboro, Aesling McCullough got the scoring started for Gannon with the fastest goal of the season, 31 seconds into the match.
Edinboro wasted no time responding with a goal in the fifth minute. The Scots later took the lead in the 39th minute after a defensive mistake from Gannon that left Edinboro striker Leah Czechowski unmarked in the box as she headed the ball past Solymosi.
The Knights responded just before halftime with a shot from distance from Hannah Hays that went off the post and into the back of the net, evening the score at 2-2.

JUAN BATISTA ROSA
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