Around The USCAA – 10-25-2018
Around the USCAA is a weekly article that highlights current happenings, key matchups, and relevant news stories from across the association. If you have a relevant news piece that you would like considered for inclusion please send it to info@theuscaa.com.
PSUGA Picks up First Ever Home Playoff Win, Advances to Semifinals
Pleasant Hills, PA. – Coming into play on Wednesday afternoon, the Penn State Greater Allegheny Soccer Team (8-4-2) had never won a home playoff game in their program’s history. However, they put all that in the past picking up their first home playoff win as a program with a 4-1 victory over #5 PSU-York (4-6-2) that send them to the Semifinal round of the Penn State University Athletic Conference Playoffs.
These two teams played to a 0-0 tie during the regular season and early on the defenses were playing well again in this one. It took just over 30 minutes for the first goal to be scored when PSUGA senior Belmo Nurkic (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin HS) took a crosser from Raghu Chimoriya (Pittsburgh, PA./Ellis Prep Academy) and found the back of the net giving PSUGA a 1-0 lead.
It was Nurkic once again who would give PSUGA a cushion at the end of the half. He launched a free kick from 40 yards out over the head of PSU-York’s goalkeeper finding the top left corner of the net for his second goal of the day. PSUGA would hold on to the 2-0 lead as the remaining minute ticked away and the team’s headed for the locker room.
Both defenses were back at it again in the second half as PSU-York tried to get back into the game. York got off seven shots in the first 20 minutes of the half, but Goalkeeper Colin Bucsok (Pittsburgh, PA./Thomas Jefferson HS) and the PSUGA defense kept them off the board. They would get a little cushion in the 71st minute when Prajal Sharma (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin HS) got in good position in front of the net and put a crosser from Nic Babic (White Hall, PA./Baldwin HS) into the back of the net increasing PSUGA’s lead to 3-0.
York found its way on the board just eight minutes later as Michael Ambrose scored on a Penalty Kick cutting the PSUGA lead to just two with 11 minutes to play. PSUGA would put the icing on the cake with eight minutes to go when Chris Rossi (Elizabeth, NJ./Frank J. Cicarfel Academy) scored his first goal of the day giving PSUGA a 4-1 lead that they would hold on to for the rest of the game.
Nurkic led his team on the day with two goals on eight shots, four on goal, while Sharma finished right behind him with one goal on five shots, four on goal. Babic led the way with two assists and Chimoriya added an assist of his own. Bucsok had a fine performance in net collecting seven saves on eight shots on goal in his 90 minutes in net.
The win means PSUGA moves on to the PSUAC Semifinal round where they will face #1 PSU-Brandywine on the road. PSUGA has been eager to get another matchup with Brandywine after falling 7-0 earlier in the year. They want to prove to everyone that they can compete with one of the top teams in the PSUAC as they make a push to get back to the PSUAC Championship game at University Park.
Saturday’s PSUAC Semifinal game between #4 PSUGA and #1 PSU-Brandywine will be played at Penn State Brandywine at a time still to be determined. The winner will move on to the PSUAC Championship game at University Park on Wednesday October 31st.
*Article Courtesy of Penn State Greater Allegheny
Volleyball wins YSCC Championship
The YSCC final four was held Sunday morning at Philip Saunders Gym on the campus of Paul Smith's. The women would start their day as the #3 seed going up against #2 seed Great Bay Community College. The match would go back and forth with the final coming down to the last set in the match which was a 15 to 9 win for the bobcats who would win the match 3 sets to 2. With Gabriella Buehler leading the team in kills with 12 and Paige Farrington leading the team in aces with 21.
The final match was against YSCC regular season champions #1 seeded NHTI. Although losing to them in their regular season matchup the bobcats would upset and sweep the Lynx (25-22, 25-9,25-22). Paige Farrington would lead the way with a team high 15 aces and 6 kills.
Paige would go on to win the YSCC tournament MVP, while Nayleece Williams would win defensive player.
The Paul Smith's College women's volleyball team capped an extraordinary 2018 season with a YSCC Conference title, the first since 2014. They would also finish the season undefeated (6-0) at home. With the conference win the bobcats clinch a spot in the USCAA National tournament held on November 8th - 9th at Virginia Beach, VA. Please congratulate these women on an amazing season so far!
*Article Courtesy of Paul Smith’s College
Key Weekly Matchups
Men’s Soccer
10-26-18 – University of Dallas at Southwestern University 6:00 P.M. EDT
10-27-18 – Vermont Technical College at Central Maine Community College 11:00 A.M. EDT
10-27-18 – Penn State Greater Allegheny at Penn State Brandywine 1:00 P.M EDT
10-29-18 – Washington Adventist University at Christendom College 4:30 P.M. EDT
Women’s Soccer
10-26-18 – Bryant and Stratton College-Syracuse at University of Valley Forge 3:00 P.M. EDT
10-27-18 – University of Maine-Machias at Southern Maine Community College 12:45 P.M. EDT
10-27-18 – Penn State Mont Alto at Penn State Brandywine 3:00 P.M. EDT
10-30-18 – Mississippi University for Women at Judson (AL) 6:00 P.M. EDT
Women’s Volleyball
10-25-18 – Florida National University at Keriser University (FL) 7:00 P.M. EDT
10-26-18 – University of Dallas at Johnson and Wales-Charlotte 8:00 P.M. EDT
10-27-18 – Mississippi University for Women at Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte 2:00 P.M EDT
10-29-18 – Bryant and Stratton-Syracuse at Mid-Atlantic Christian University 6:00 P.M. EDT