Franciscan 2, Geneva 2

Starting XI
Benjamin James, Kolbe Rice, Joseph St. George, Augustine Rubino, Jonathan Schriner, Joshua Atkinson, Lucas Cross, Ryan Miller, Aidan Henninger, Julien Freeman, & Goalkeeper Aiden Miller

How It Happened 
    The Golden Tornadoes came into the night sitting undefeated in the PAC and in first place. The Barons one loss to Grove City had them sitting in 3rd. A win would've created a three-way tie for 1st place and made for the most exciting final weekend of soccer in years. 
    The anticipation of this match was felt from both teams from the very beginning. Both teams brought physicality from the moment the official blew the whistle. For the entirety of the game, the official allowed a significant amount of physical play and let the players battle it out and decide who would win. 
    The Golden Tornadoes struck first, but the Barons allowed no chance for them to revel in their lead. Lucas Cross hit yet another dart off of Ryan Miller to tie the game at 1-1 just seconds after Geneva scored. 
    Coach wanted to be the first to score in the second half and use that momentum to close out the game. He got his wish in the 52nd minute. Geneva fouled Augustine Rubino in the box. Ryan Miller sank his fifth PK of the year and gave the Barons a 2-1 lead. 
    This momentum stayed in the Barons favor for a long time. However, misfortune struck after a Baron defender tried to block a Geneva shot, but unintentionally redirected the ball away from the direction Aiden Miller was moving and tied the game back at 2-2.
    The in-game announcer sounded out one minute remaining just as Joshua Atkinson crossed midfield pushing the ball forward. He sent a diagonal pass to toward the left side of the field at Joseph St. George. St. George leaped from the top of the box and attempted to head the ball forward toward Jonathan Schriner making a run. Just before he could get his head on the ball, a Geneva defender lowered their shoulder and cut St. George in half. He fell to the ground un-phased from the excitement of the free kick he was guaranteed to receive after a yellow card worthy play, but no card, no whistle, play resumed. Benjamin James corralled the ball, but Geneva sank in and prevented any quality opportunity as time expired. 

Inside the Numbers  
-Cross has 15 goals on the year and puts him back on top of the PAC in goals scored
-Miller recorded 2 saves
-8 Barons played the full 90 minutes
-Total shots were even, but the Barons doubled the Tornadoes SOG

Who's Next? 
Franciscan will remain at home, as they host Allegheny in the regular season finale on Saturday. The Barons and Gators will meet for the second time in school history after a tie last season. In that 2-2 draw, Ryan Miller netted the first Franciscan goal before Nick Miller scored the equalizer in the 79th minute. Allegheny has had an up and down season in 2023, and this could be a must-win game for them, as they have been on the bubble for a playoff spot all season. 

Men's Soccer ID Camp
Franciscan Men's Soccer is excited to offer an ID Camp for aspiring college athletes on Sunday, November 19th, 2023. 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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