STEUBENVILLE, Ohio – The Barons competed throughout a cold, windy game but were held to no goals in a 4-0 loss to last year's conference champions Penn. St.–Behrend.

Franciscan was mostly able to match the Lions in the midfield, maintaining possession and getting the ball forward, but were unable to finish attacks effectively, becoming the sixth team to get shut out by the Lions this season.

"We just couldn't break them down to get that final ball," head coach Ward Rogers said.

At the point of attack, freshman forward Leo Herrmann had a few quality chances in the first half, but the Lions closed their defense too quickly for him to get off a good shot on goal. Herrmann finished with a team-high three shots, two of which were on goal but as a team, Franciscan only managed 5 shots to the Lions' 32.

Through the first 15 minutes, the game was played fairly evenly with both teams getting on the attack. It was a shot by Behrend's senior defender Jimmy Belack in the ninth minute that broke the tie. A bending shot from 30 yards out looked to be soaring over the bar when the wind knocked the ball down just enough for it to fly into the top-left corner past the outstretched arms of Franciscan goalkeeper Edward Huber.

"The ball just died at the crossbar," Rogers said. "Eddie was in great shape. The ball just died."

Behrend would tack on another goal in the sixteenth minute via an unassisted goal. The Behrend midfielder beat two Franciscan defenders then shot from 18 yards out into the corner of the net.

The Lions would score two more goals before the end of the half, both off set-pieces, an area where the Barons have been successful over the last weeks, having scored two goals off corners in their previous two games.

"We just need to mark tighter. It's really a lack of focus. It's always the second ball on a set-piece. That's when we lose our focus," Rogers said.

Though the Barons gave up four goals in the first half, they never appeared intimidated by Behrend's attack. Rogers said the midfield play was responsible.

"We didn't really dominate the midfield, but they didn't really dominate either," Rogers said. "They were able to get it forward and be a little sharper on the attack."

During the second half, the game was played much more evenly with the Barons holding the Lions scoreless.

"Behrend has the capability to score a lot of goals. It was a real testament to our guys that they didn't score any goals in the second half," Rogers said.

For Franciscan, the game was highlighted by an acrobatic bicycle kick from sophomore forward Joseph Duran and the dangerous runs with the ball by Herrmann.

"We were just a half-step behind today," Rogers said. "We're going to try and pick that up before the next game."

That next game will come on the road against Penn St.-Altoona on October 8 at 4 pm.