ALTOONA, Pa. –The Barons fell behind twice but responded well, equalizing twice before conceding the lead in the eighty-second minute in a 3-2 loss to Penn. St.–Altoona. 

The match began in a back-and-forth fashion with both teams maintaining equal amounts of possession over the first 20 minutes of the game.  A defensive error by Franciscan in the twentieth minute resulted in Altoona's first goal. 

The ball came out to Altoona's sophomore forward Logan DeNicola 25 yards in front of the goal.  Three Franciscan defenders left their positions along the backline at once to close him down, leaving space for DeNicola to play a through ball to sophomore midfielder Alex Bartlett, wide open in front of the goal.  He slotted the ball in to the back of the net. 

"Everyone was trying to make a great play," Franciscan University head coach Ward Rogers said.  "We got disorganized, and they exposed us."

Undeterred, Franciscan fought back, getting the equalizer from freshman midfielder Dominic Vander Woude just after the second half began.  In the forty-eighth minute, junior forward John Imbimbo collected the ball in the middle of the field and played a ball over the top into Vander Woude's run off the wing. He chipped the ball over the onrushing keeper's head for his first goal of the season.

"The other team was really pressuring us in the neutral third.  In the second half, we were trying to use the touchlines more effectively.  Dominic was making an inside-out run, and he was able to break in on goal," Rogers said.

Vander Woude, who has battled an ankle injury this season, continued to play well through the second half. He blocked an Altoona shot and assisted freshman forward Leo Herrmann on Franciscan's second goal tying the game up for a second time after Altoona had again pulled ahead. 

Attacking on a counter, Herrmann avoided the offside trap on the high line that Altoona was playing.  Vander Woude's ball over the top found Herrmann alone against the keeper. He slid the ball into the near post knotting the game up for the second time in the eighty-first minute.

"Vander Woude had a really strong game," Rogers said. "He's a good midfielder. He's going to have a good career here at Franciscan."

This final tie lasted less than two minutes.  Altoona scored in the eighty-second minute as Franciscan tried to clear the ball but sent a ball back into their box, which forced goalkeeper Edward Huber to come out to defend it. Altoona Miller dropped the ball back to their midfielder who shot the ball into the empty net.

"When it was 2-2 we were too eager to get the ball back up the field," Rogers said. "We let ourselves get out of position."

Rogers said that the Barons need to simplify their approach. 

"We tried to be a little too creative tonight, so we're just going to go back to that simple movement and simple passes," Rogers said.

The Barons next game is at home against Medaille College on Saturday, Oct. 9.