The Gannon men's soccer team celebrates a goal.
Nicholas Carson
1
Mercyhurst Mercy (6-1-0, 0-1-0)
5
Winner Gannon GANN (7-0-1, 1-0-0)
Mercyhurst Mercy
(6-1-0, 0-1-0)
1
Final
5
Gannon GANN
(7-0-1, 1-0-0)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Mercyhurst Mercy 0 1 1
Gannon GANN 2 3 5

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

Katsande, Querling Score Twice as No. 19 Gannon Upsets No. 10 Mercyhurst

ERIE, Pa. – A year ago Mercyhurst shut out Gannon in both meetings of the men's soccer teams. On Wednesday night the local rivals, both nationally-ranked, met for the first of two regular season meetings at McConnell Family Stadium. The Golden Knights broke the ice against a stout Mercyhurst defense in the 30th minute and the goals just kept coming. When the night ended No. 19 Gannon (7-0-1, 1-0-0 PSAC West) had handed tenth-ranked Mercyhurst (6-1-0, 0-1-0 PSAC West) a 5-1 defeat.

The two teams were chosen as co-favorites in the PSAC West preseason poll and neither had tasted defeat leading into Wednesday's PSAC West opener. The Lakers owned five wins and a tie in the last six meetings between the rivals. The victory was the first for Gannon since sweeping the season series in 2019.

The five goals were the most in the series by either team since Mercyhurst scored five times in 2014. In addition, Gannon had not found the back of the net five times against the Lakers since a 6-0 win in 1989. The five goals were the most allowed by a Mercyhurst team since 2017.

In a predictably physical match, Gannon gained a 1-0 lead against a Mercyhurst defense that had allowed just two goals all year at 29:02 when Tinashe Katsande (Norwich, England/Dereham Sixth Form College) found the upper right corner of the net following perfect passes from James Pool (Hastings, England/Claverham) and Pau Ferrer (Valencia, Spain/ISES Isabel de Villena).

The lead grew to 2-0 late in the first half on an unassisted goal by Benjamin Querling (Zuelpich, Germany/Emil-Fischer Gymnasium) at 42:21.

Gannon would add three goals in the second half as Mercyhurst tried to force its attack. The first came at 69:36 courtesy of Petter Dyrkorn (Sandvika, Norway/Doenski Videregaaende Skole). The goal again featured a pair of crisp passes with Katsande and Sverre Orten (Orsta, Norway/Aalesund vgs) assisting off a corner kick.

Less than three minutes later Katsande had his second goal of the night and fifth of the season as Gannon extended its lead to 4-0 at the 72:01 mark. The forward from England again benefited from good passes with assists going to Ferrer and Herman Aanberg (Hamar, Norway/Wang Toppidrett Oslo).

The two teams would trade penalty kicks for goals in the final eight minutes. Dylan Sumner got the Lakers on the board at 82:39, but Querling matched it for his second goal of the night and fourth of the season at 85:58.

While the Gannon attack put up five goals equally impressive was the defensive effort of the backline of Bautista Corti (Manuel Alberti, Argentina/Adultos 2000), Toby Gower (Norwich, England/Long Stratton), Lennox Crews (Offenbach, Germany/Leibnizschule), Ferrer and Dyrkorn. And sophomore Samuel Alarcon (Madrid, Spain/Colegio el Valle II) was brilliant in goal.

Alarcon, who earlier in the week was named the PSAC Westy Defensive Athlete of the Week for the second time, turned in the key saves of the match in the 59th minute with Gannon maintaining a 2-0 advantage. Sumner, the 2022 PSAC West Athlete of the Year, stood in front of Alarcon for a penalty kick. Alarcon was equal to the challenge and stopped the shot. The ball bounced back to Sumner but a second attempt was saved by Alarcon.

Mercyhurst ended with a 20-15 advantage in shots, but shots on goal were even at 9-9. Alarcon was credited with a career-high eight saves.

Gannon returns to action on Saturday, September 30, playing on the road for the fifth time in six games. The Golden Knights travel to California (Pa.) for another PSAC West beginning at 3:30 p.m.
 
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