Franciscan 1, Allegheny 2

Starting XI
Benjamin James, Michael Peppiatt, Augustine Rubino, Andrew Goduti, Anthony Venditti, George Phillips, Lucas Cross, Zachary Muldoon, Aidan Henninger, Jonah Kline, & Goalkeeper - Aiden Miller 

How It Happened 
    The Barons came into last night's contest with a chance to both clinch a playoff berth and clinch the #2 seed and a quarterfinal bye with a win against a visiting Allegheny Gators who were fighting to both stay in the playoff mix and earn a quarterfinal home game. 
    The sense of urgency amongst both squads led to a oscillating game of ball control. As one team began to garner more control of play the other would gain a sense of urgency to turn the table. 
    In the early minutes of the game, the Gators were predominantly shifted into the attacking end. Their center backs spent most of their time 30-50 yds in front of their goal. The Barons exacerbated this by failing to mount counterattacks. They were plagued with giveaways that stalled any offensive chances. This flipped midway through the half when the Gators committed four fouls in six minutes. The resulting free kicks allowed the Barons to get into the attacking end and put the Gators on their heels. This was capped off late in the half with a goal from George Phillips off a free kick taken by Muldoon. This gave the Barons the boost they needed to take control of the game. They took this confidence into the beginning of the second half. It felt like the game was all Barons until a fateful yellow card just outside the Barons penalty box. They defended the resulting free kick, but then gave up a corner shortly after. This flipped the script for the Gators who found a way to tie the game. The momentum shifted once again and back to the Gators. They capitalized on that with a second goal to take the lead in the 74'.
    The Barons rallied and began to put pressure back on the Gators and earned a PK in the 78'. A golden opportunity to tie the game and shift momentum back in their favor. Cross' kick sailed high, and that miss boosted the Gators with the momentum they needed to close the game and secure the win.
    The Barons retain their 2nd place standing, but the Gators have moved into third and are one win behind the Barons. The Barons have 8th place Hiram Saturday and 6th place Geneva to finish the regular season next week. They are in control of their destiny and can earn the coveted quarterfinal bye with a 2-0 finish. If they drop another loss they will need the Gators to lose to one of their games.



By the Numbers
- The Baron defense held the Gators to 3 SOG
- Last night was only the 6th time the Barons have allowed multiple goals this season

Who's Next?
Franciscan remains at home to take on Hiram on Saturday. It will also be Senior Day in Steubenville, as four Barons will be honored after the game. This will be the first PAC matchup between the Barons and Terriers, but the two teams have met seven times dating back to 2007. Hiram has won six of those games, including their last meeting in 2022. Hiram scored the lone goal int he 86th minute in 2022 in part of Franciscan's first PAC Championship season. This season, Hiram is part of a crowded group that is fighting for a playoff spot, so we should be in store for a great game. 

Men's Soccer Fall ID Camp
Franciscan Men's Soccer is excited to offer an ID camp for aspiring college athletes on Monday, November 17th. The camp is open to athletes entering 9th-12th grade this Fall. Participants will have the opportunity to receive training from the Men's soccer coaching staff as well as interact with current players. Campers will participate in Athlete Visit Day in the morning and a typical Franciscan training session in the evening. For more information and to register click here. Campers must also register with Admissions for the visit day here.

Stay Connected 
Be sure to follow Franciscan Athletics on YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for the most in-depth coverage.