ERIE, Pa. – Jensen Peake (Staffordshire, England/Friary) scored the game-winning goal on a penalty kick in the 76th minute as the Gannon men's soccer team rallied from a halftime deficit to defeat Seton Hill 2-1 in the PSAC Tournament semifinals Wednesday afternoon at McConnell Family Stadium.
The Golden Knights improved to 13-3-3 overall and advanced to Sunday's PSAC Championship game after overcoming a 1-0 halftime deficit with two second-half goals.
Seton Hill struck first in the 21st minute when Tomas Gomes found the back of the net at 20:34 for his fourth goal of the season. The Griffins maintained their advantage through halftime after out shooting Gannon 10-5 in the opening 45 minutes.
Gannon responded with increased offensive pressure in the second half, eventually breaking through at 60:06. David Ivascu (Vaughan, Ontario/St. Elizabeth Catholic) scored his eighth goal of the season off assists from Mathias Asphjell (Oslo, Norway/lambertseter vgs) and Rafa Hyde (São José dos Campos, Brazil/Objetivo Aquarius), bringing the Golden Knights even at 1-1.
The Golden Knights continued to push forward and earned a penalty kick in the 76th minute. Peake converted the opportunity at 75:03, scoring his second goal of the season and giving Gannon its first lead of the afternoon.
Gannon held off Seton Hill over the final 15 minutes to secure the victory and advance to the conference championship match.
The Golden Knights finished with 17 shots, including 12 in the second half, while Seton Hill recorded 18 attempts. Gannon held a 10-5 advantage in shots on goal and both teams finished with seven corner kicks.
Goalkeeper Ivan Capurro (Uruguay/Escola Ginebró) made four saves to earn the victory, while Seton Hill's Jannik Reiss recorded eight saves.
THE GAME FACTS
Score: Gannon 2, Seton Hill 1
Records: Gannon 13-3-3, Seton Hill 7-6-7
Location: McConnell Family Stadium | Erie, Pa.
Attendance: 85
Shots: Seton Hill 18, Gannon 17
Shots on Goal: Gannon 10, Seton Hill 5
Corner Kicks: Gannon 7, Seton Hill 7
Scoring Summary:
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20:34 – Seton Hill: Tomas Gomes (4), unassisted
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60:06 – Gannon: David Ivascu (Vaughan, Ontario/St. Elizabeth Catholic) (8), assisted by Mathias Asphjell (Oslo, Norway/lambertseter vgs) and Rafa Hyde (São José dos Campos, Brazil/Objetivo Aquarius)
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75:03 – Gannon: Jensen Peake (Staffordshire, England/Friary) (2), penalty kick
THE KNIGHT CAP
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Championship Bound: Gannon advanced to the PSAC Championship game with its second consecutive 2-1 postseason victory.
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Peake Delivers the Winner: Jensen Peake (Staffordshire, England/Friary) converted a penalty kick at 75:03 for his second goal of the season and the game-winner.
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Ivascu Sparks the Comeback: David Ivascu (Vaughan, Ontario/St. Elizabeth Catholic) scored his eighth goal of the season in the 61st minute to tie the match at 1-1.
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Two Assists on the Equalizer: Mathias Asphjell (Oslo, Norway/lambertseter vgs) and Rafa Hyde (São José dos Campos, Brazil/Objetivo Aquarius) each recorded an assist on Ivascu's second-half goal.
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Second-Half Response: After being outshot 10-5 in the first half, Gannon produced 12 shots in the final 45 minutes.
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Shots on Target: The Golden Knights placed 10 of their 17 shots on goal, compared to five for Seton Hill.
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Ivascu Leads the Attack: Ivascu finished with a team-high four shots, including three on goal.
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Capurro Earns the Win: Ivan Capurro (Uruguay/Escola Ginebró) made four saves in 90 minutes to improve his individual record to 6-2-2.
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Season Series Secured: Gannon finished 2-0-1 against Seton Hill this season after the teams played to a 1-1 draw in their first meeting.
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Home Postseason Success: The Golden Knights improved to 2-0 in this year's PSAC Tournament following victories over Shepherd and Seton Hill at McConnell Family Stadium.
UP NEXT
Gannon advances to the PSAC Championship game on Sunday, Nov. 8, where the Golden Knights will face East Stroudsburg.
The championship match is scheduled for 1 p.m. and will be hosted by East Stroudsburg.
This story was written using the support of AI.
