Per Kristian Lauvstad
Bryce Dolak
0
Lake Erie LKER (0-1-0, 0-0-0)
5
Winner Gannon GANN (1-0-0, 0-0-0)
Lake Erie LKER
(0-1-0, 0-0-0)
0
Final
5
Gannon GANN
(1-0-0, 0-0-0)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Lake Erie LKER 0 0 0
Gannon GANN 2 3 5

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

No. 7 Golden Knights weather the Storm for impressive 5-0 win in season opener

ERIE, Pa. – Freshman Per Kristian Lauvstad (Nesoya, Norway/) scored a pair of goals to lead seventh-ranked Gannon to an impressive 5-0 win over Lake Erie on Thursday afternoon at McConnell Family Stadium. The contest was the season opener for both teams.

Thursday's season opener was a battle of two NCAA Tournament teams in 2023. The Golden Knights enjoyed one of their finest seasons ever, reaching the NCAA Division II Elite Eight and finishing at 18-2-2. Lake Erie advanced to the Great Midwest Athletic Conference championship match and is the preseason favorite in the G-MAC.

The Storm looked to slow down a powerful Gannon attack but the Golden Knights pressed forward and finally scored in the 31st minute. Four minutes later Lauvstad scored his first career goal to give the Golden Knights a 2-0 lead at the half.

Gannon would score three more goals in the second half while controlling the action. The first two came within three minutes of each other in the first six minutes of the second half to open a commanding 4-0 advantage. The comfortable lead allowed head coach Billy Colton to substitute liberally in the second half.

How it Happened:
  • Lake Erie was able to hold Gannon at bay over the first third of the first half but Gannon's pressure up front finally led to a goal. Sverre Orten (Orsta, Norway/Aalesund vgs), an All-PSAC West first team performer a year ago, accounted for the first goal of the season at 30:43 as the junior fired a shot into the right corner of the goal.
  • Less than four minutes later at the 34:36 mark Per Kristian Lauvstad (Nesoya, Norway/) scored the first of his two goals and the first of his career. The freshman's shot from the left side was deflected by the Lake Erie goalkeeper but just dribbled across the line for a 2-0 lead. The score remained that way at the half.
  • A pair of goals just over five minutes into the second half gave the Golden Knights a 4-0 advantage. The first was off a corner kick by Shota Toyama (Kanagawa, Japan/Tama) at 47:26 that bounced off a pair of Lake Erie defenders. Less than three minutes later (50:07) Lauvstad accounted for his second goal thanks to a pair of beautiful touch passes from Pau Ferrer (Valencia, Spain/ISES Isabel de Villena) and Herman Aanberg (Hamar, Norway/Wang Toppidrett Oslo).
  • Gannon's final goal came courtesy of another freshman. Santino Giacinti (Parana, Brazil/Instituto Cristo Redentor) scored his first career goal, at 76:16. He gathered in a shot that was blocked by Nate Tenbus (Gillett, Pa./Horseheads) and fired it into the back of the net from long range.
 
By the Numbers:
  • Gannon has now won four straight season openers, and not including the 202 COVID season it is five wins in a row to open the season.
  • The five goals are the most in a season opener since the 1989 Gannon edition defeated Buffalo State 9-0 to open the season.
  • Freshmen appearing in their first match as Golden Knights accounted for three of the goals. Per Kristian Laufstad led Gannon with two goals and Santino Giacinti (Parana, Brazil/Instituto Cristo Redentor) scored the final Gannon goal.
  • Gannon outshot the Storm 23-4. The Golden Knights were particularly dominant in the second half, holding a 15-2 edge. They had an 8-5 advantage in corner kicks.  
  • Andres Moraes registered a shutout in his first start in goal at Gannon. The transfer from CSU Bakersfield earned the right to start in place of All-PSAC West goalkeeper Samuel Alarcon (Madrid, Spain/Colegio el Valle II), who will miss the season with an injury. Moraes had one save. He was aided by a strong effort from the defense, led by senior Bautista Corti (Manuel Alberti, Argentina/Adultos 2000).
 
Next for the Golden Knights:
Gannon plays its second straight match at home with little time to celebrate Thursday's victory. The Golden Knights host Saginaw Valley State on Saturday, September 7. The match gets underway at 1:00 p.m. at McConnell Family Stadium. A year ago the two teams battled to a 1-1 tie. 
 
Print Friendly Version