Franciscan 0, Mount Union 1

Starting XI
Benjamin James, Augustine Rubino, Andrew Goduti, Anthony Venditti, George Phillips, Lucas Cross, Zachary Muldoon, Aidan Henninger, Nathan Halberg, Colm Corcoran, & Goalkeeper - Aiden Miller 

How It Happened 
    The Barons hosted the Mount Union Purple Raiders in their last non-conference home match this season. The Barons have been playing high level soccer recently and were primed to take down the undefeated Purple Raiders.
    The offense came alive last night and for large periods of time, the Barons held firm possession of the ball. On multiple occasions it was a masterclass on offensive patience and control. The Purple Raiders were fully sunk in defensively and goalkeeper Miller enjoyed watching from 40 yds away. However, the few moments the Barons lost control of the ball, the Purple Raiders had a few high-octane forwards that would quickly push the ball up the field. These counterattack moments left Miller in several one-on-one positions. Lots of goalies allow their nerves to cause them to be indecisive and slow to react. Miller was aggressive and a wall in front of the net. He stopped every one on one chance the Purple Raiders threw at him. The opponents were accustomed to scoring success and the frustration became evident with several Purple Raiders resorting to shoving from behind. The shoves led to no cards and not even a foul. That strategy proved useful in the final minutes.
    With less than 10 minutes remaining the Purple Raiders had a corner kick opportunity. The kick landed shortside a couple yards away from the net. The ball bounced high to the far side of the net where a Purple Raider forward stood alone. He used his right hand to corral the ball to his feet and sink his shot to an open right side of the net. The Barons were disciplined and played through the infraction, but were shocked when the center official failed to make the call. 
    The Barons played excellent for 90 minutes and came just shy of defeating a team just outside of the national rankings. This is a great sign for conference play as the Barons continue to become more and more competitive against some of the best teams in the nation.



Inside the Numbers  
- Miller recorded 7 saves
- Cross led the Barons with 6 shots

Who's Next?
Franciscan will conclude non-conference play on Saturday at Penn State Behrend. Last season, the Barons beat the Lions 3-1 in Steubenville, but they are 2-15-1 all-time against their former conference foe from the AMCC. Ryan Miller, Jonathan Schriner, and Julien Freemen each score a goal in last year's victory. The Lions have already beat a pair of PAC schools in 2025, as they beat Grove City 1-0 and Chatham 2-1. 

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.

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