Season Opener Thriller
Penn State’s men’s soccer team opened its 2026 campaign with a dramatic 3‑2 comeback victory over Mercyhurst, marking the first win under new head coach Rob Dow.
The Nittany Lions fell behind early, but a precise pass from Noah Förster set up Amadou Kone to halve the deficit and spark a rally.
Midway through the match, Mercyhurst’s goalkeeper Jaime Tedaldi made eight saves in the second half, keeping the visitors in contention despite a red card that left them a man short.
Penn State capitalized on the advantage when Joe Sheridan met a corner from Grant McIntosh with a powerful header to level the score in the 68th minute.
The winning goal arrived shortly thereafter, as Etienne Reck’s shot took a deflection before slipping past Tedaldi, sealing a 3‑2 triumph.
The game was played on a rainy Thursday night at Jeffrey Field, where the team debuted new Adidas kits, adding a visual flourish to the exciting performance.
Looking ahead, Penn State will travel to Springfield, Missouri, for a match against Missouri State on August 23 at 8 p.m., a contest that will be streamed live on ESPN+.