LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – For only the third time in a decade, the Gannon Golden Knights have started the season with two straight wins. The team also accomplished the feat both in 2012 (a 9-0 start) and in 2019 (a 6-0 beginning to a season that eventually ended in the third round of the NCAA Division II Tournament.) Wednesday's game against Lock Haven was delayed over two hours due to lightning in the area, but once the Golden Knights took the field they looked as in-form as ever.
 
The scoring got started in the 7^th minute with some unselfish play from Gannon. Toby Gower (Norwich, England/Long Stratton) sent a cross into the left side of the penalty area toward Bek Nurlanbek, who headed it back across the face of goal to the feet of Tinashe Katsande (Norwich, England/Dereham Sixth Form College). Katsande smashed it past the keeper for the first tally of the game.
 
Lock Haven picked its spots and equalized on a quick counterattack thanks to 2019 All-American and PSAC East Rookie of the Year Andrea DiSomma in the 26^th minute. The ball was played deep out of the back, he stayed onside, and Gannon goalkeeper Maximiliano Rocco (Florence, S.C.), who had come off his line to attempt to intercept the ball, could not get there in time. DiSomma slotted the ball into an open net to make it 1-1.
 
It did not take long for the Golden Knights to answer back. Less than a minute later, Lennox Crews (Offenbach, Germany/Leibnizschule) spotted Sergio Del Castillo (Madrid, Spain/) in the box and delivered a pinpoint cross. Del Castillo displayed some aerial prowess, adjusting to it mid-air to get his head on it, sneaking the ball past the keeper to put Gannon back in front 2-1.
 
An insurance goal came late in the first half in the 42^nd minute. Freshman Herman Aanberg (Hamar, Norway/Wang Toppidrett Oslo) burst down the right wing to the edge of the box and cut the ball back for Furkan Yildirim (Berlin, Germany/Thomas Mann Gymnasium), who powered the ball home for his second goal of the 2021 season. Del Castillo added a fourth goal in the 58^th minute, popping a cross straight up into the air above his head and trapping it in the box. Surrounded by three defenders, he created enough space with his dribbling to shoot and score it past the diving keeper.
 
The wet conditions caused quite a few statistical anomalies. Both teams finished the game with five shots, but neither goalkeeper was credited with a save. After Gannon's game on Sunday versus Tiffin in which there were 22 combined fouls and six yellow cards, Wednesday's game only featured 13 combined fouls and zero bookings.
 
The busy week rolls on for the Golden Knights, with two more home games yet to go (Friday, Sept. 10 versus Ashland at 5 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 12 versus the University of the District of Columbia at 1 p.m.)