Sergio Del Castillo vs. SRU
Bryce Dolak
0
Pitt.-Johnstown UPJ (1-12-2, 0-9-1)
5
Winner Gannon GAN (12-4-2, 6-2-2)
Pitt.-Johnstown UPJ
(1-12-2, 0-9-1)
0
Final
5
Gannon GAN
(12-4-2, 6-2-2)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Pitt.-Johnstown UPJ 0 0 0
Gannon GAN 2 3 5

Game Recap: Men's Soccer | | Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Gannon to Host Seton Hill in PSAC Quarterfinals Thanks to 5-0 Win over Pitt-Johnstown

ERIE, Pa. – The Gannon men's soccer team clinched the second seed in the PSAC West and a home game in the upcoming PSAC Tournament with a 3-0 win over Pitt-Johnstown on Saturday night at McConnell Family Stadium. The Golden Knights improved to 12-4-2 overall while UPJ ended the season at 1-12-2 and 0-9-1 in the PSAC West.

Gannon and Seton Hill tied for second place in the Western Division, each with 6-2-2 records and 20 points. But the Golden Knights gained the upper hand thanks to goal differential with a plus five total. Mercyhurst is the number one seed in the Western Division at 10-0-0 in league play.

Head coach Billy Colton's team will now host Seton Hill on Tuesday, November 1 at McConnell Family Stadium in a PSAC Quarterfinal contest. The winner will move on to the PSAC Final Four at the highest remaining Eastern Division seed.  

After failing to score in the previous two matches, Sergio Del Castillo (Madrid, Spain) scored twice on Saturday night. He entered the contest ranked number one in Division II in both goals and points scored and now has 22 goals and 48 points. The 22 goals leaves him in a tie for third in the season scoring charts, while his 48 points are tied for seventh. He is sixth in career goals (51) and career points (118).

Gannon took a 1-0 lead less than three minutes into the match as Petter Dyrkorn (Sandvika, Norway/Doenski Videregaaende Skole) scored his second goal of the season off a corner kick from Shota Toyamo. Dyrkorn's headed the goal into the net from close range.

The lead grew to 2-0 at 18:23 on another corner kick as Del Castillo notched his 21st goal of the season. Toyama's corner from the right side found Del Castillo in front of the net, with the senior midfielder chipping it in to the left corner of the net.  

Del Castillo scored his second goal of the evening at the 68:11 mark thanks to a pass from Jake Sterio (Mentor, Ohio/Mentor), firing a low shot under a diving PJ Derksen into the middle of the net.   

Now with a 3-0 lead, Colton substituted liberally and Gannon added a pair of insurance goals late in the match. The first came at 83:42, with James Pool (Hastings, England/Claverham) scoring his second goal of the season. Pool's long shot went high into the back of the net. RJ Benedict (Edinboro, Pa./General McLane) was credited with the assist.

Gannon's extended the lead to 5-0, the same as the score in this year's first meeting, with Benedict doing the honors at 88:12. The sophomore from nearby General McLane High School scored his first career goal. Lennox Crews (Offenbach, Germany/Leibnizschule) found Benedict on a breakaway, and after deking Derksen, he had a wide-open goal.   

The Golden Knights held staggering advantages in shots (36-3), shots on goal (12-1) and corner kicks (14-1). Freshman Samuel Alarcon (Madrid, Spain/Colegio el Valle II) made one save in goal for Gannon while recording his fourth shutout.
 
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