Photo by Abigail MacMillan
By Anthony Heller SELINSGROVE, Pa., September 10
Susquehanna’s men’s soccer team dropped their home opener Saturday afternoon as York’s Jack Mitzelfelt netted a hat-trick to lift his team to a 3-0 victory. York were on the back of an impressive draw against No. 14 Washington (MD), while Susquehanna had just been held 1-1 away to Lycoming.
The Spartans started strongly, knocking on the door a few times in the first half before a cross from Tyler Howlett deflected off center-back Ethan Ganard and was poked in by the head of Mitzelfelt. The River Hawks came close towards the end of the first half, with a thunderous volley from Max Paczewski rattling the crossbar on its way over, and the best chance falling the way of Adrian Dilascio, whose header from Walter Wyatt’s corner was palmed over by Brady Bixler, the York goalkeeper, on top form, made five saves en route to his first clean sheet of the season.
The River Hawks went into half-time a goal down but with momentum on their side, having been dominated in possession over the 45 minutes, but Jim Findlay’s men had grown into the game considerably and were looking threatening towards the end of the first half.
They came out of the gate in the second period with high intensity pressing, mimicking the York press that had made them so uncertain in possession in the first 45.
Dilascio came close again in the second half, but just before the hour mark, Mitzelfelt tapped home his second after excellent forward play from Noah Roche, laying on an excellent square ball that Mitzelfelt dispatched beyond Gerrit Stech.
Susquehanna continued to pressure the Spartans after the second, with Mike Morelli putting the ball in the net, thinking he’d made it 2-1, but the goal was disallowed for a push by Morelli on York center-back Connor Oburn. The Spartans grew back into the second half, with chances going the way of both sides similarly.
York grabbed a third five minutes from time, with Howlett teeing up Mitzelfelt, who speared in a right-footed finish past Stech before wheeling away to celebrate his hat-trick and fifth goal of the season from just seven shots on target.
Despite being outshot over the 90 minutes 14-10, York went home with an impressive away win, leaving the River Hawks still in wait for a first victory of the season. The River Hawks go again away to Wilkes on Tuesday, before returning home to take on Widener under the Friday night lights at Sassafras Field.
