Franciscan 3, Geneva 3 - Franciscan advance 3-0 in a shootout

Franciscan Starters 
Chris St. George, Joseph St. George, Mikey Irvin, Joshua Atkinson, Augustine Rubino, Jonathan Schriner, Aidan Henninger,  Ryan Miller, Nick Miller, Liam Nagle & Goalkeeper - Jax Mautone  

Geneva Starters
Sambuco, Rogers, Kerr, Main, Burns, Abdel Nabi, Fiordillino, Sauer, Dunda, Lapoure  & Goalkeeper - Kemp

How It Happened 
    The Franciscan Barons defeated the Geneva Golden Tornadoes in a thrilling match that came down to the wire in their PAC semifinal match on Wednesday night. The night was packed with fans from both teams eager to see their team win. Electric sidelines, chilly temperatures, and free hotdogs, it was a night full of life at Trinity Health System Field.
    In the early going of the match, the Tornadoes applied the pressure and scored late in the first half on the Barons. Then scored again on penalty kick to make it 2-0 entering halftime. The Barons could not finish runs down field during the first half of the game. After the tornadoes scored their 2^nd goal the Barons found more energy and urgency in a very back and forth game.
    In the early moments of the second half the much of the back-and-forth game continued until Nick Miller, graduate midfielder, scored for the Barons on the 55^th minute on a free kick to break the shutout. However, this wouldn't be the last time the Barons found the back of the net as Liam Nagle, graduate defender, headed it into the goal in the 56^th minute off an assist by freshman midfielder Augustine Rubino. The Tornadoes answered back with a score of their own in the middle of the second half, but the Barons did not give up. With 5 minutes left in the game trailing by one, the Barons battled the Tornadoes until Jonathan Schriner, sophomore forward, scored on an assist by Chris St. George, graduate defender, to even the score 3 to 3 in the 86^th minute.
    After 90 minutes, the Barons and the Tornadoes were neck and neck as they entered overtime. Back and forth as the stalemate continued, neither team was letting up and both teams continued to exchange passes and runs.
    After 20 minutes of overtime, the score remained tied. The only thing left to break this tie was penalty kicks. As both teams entered the field accompanied by 10 potential shooters and their goalies, suspense filled the air, and the crowd was dead silent. Ryan Miller, sophomore midfielder, sunk the first penalty kick with ease for the Barons. The Golden Tornadoes were unsuccessful in their first try. Then Nick Miller, graduate midfielder, gracefully sunk the next penalty kick for the Barons. Then as the Golden Tornadoes answered back Jax Mautone, graduate goalkeeper saved the shot. Then Mikey Irvin, graduate midfielder, sank the 3rd PK for the Barons forcing Geneva to score on their next three for any chance of staying in this one. As the Golden Tornadoes missed their third penalty kick high, the Barons stormed the field and jumped into each other's arms. The Barons would be advancing to the PAC championship game.

Inside the Numbers  
-This was the first game in school history that the Barons have won in a shootout.
- With goals, Nick Miller and Jonathan Schriner each have 20+ points this season.
- Kolbe Rice had a team high 37 shots on goal, as he had several good looks in overtime.
- Six different Barons played in the entire 110 minutes of play tonight. 

Who's Next? 
Franciscan will now host the PAC Championship this Saturday at 7pm at Trinity Health System Field. Their opponent, a familiar foe, will be Bethany who the Barons hosted last season in the 2021 PAC Championship. The Bison would come out on top last season by a score of 3-1, as two first half goals were too much to overcome for the Barons. These two teams met earlier this season at Bethany with them tying by a score of 1-1. Nick Miller scored the lone first half goal, and Bethany added a late goal to hold the tie. The Bison later had to forfeit that game and another due to the use of an ineligible player. That hurt the Bison in the PAC standings, as they barely made the playoffs in the fifth position. They have proved their talent in the postseason with a win in the quarterfinals over #4 Allegheny 1-0. They then beat #1 Grove City on Wednesday night in a shootout, as it was tied at 3-3 as well after 110 minutes of play. 

Men's Soccer ID Camp
Franciscan Men's Soccer is excited to offer an ID Camp for aspiring college athletes on Sunday, November 20th, 2022. Participants will have the opportunity to receive training from the men's soccer coaching staff, as well as interact with current players. Players will participate in a typical Franciscan training session and gain an understanding of the competitive and challenging environment of collegiate athletics. For more information click here

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