BRADFORD, Pa. - The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford men's soccer team used an aggressive offensive attack and strong defensive effort, knocking off Alfred State, 1-0, on a rainy Saturday afternoon at the Kessel Athletic Complex.
"I was really proud of the boys' composure, discipline and commitment to staying organized defensively," said Pitt-Bradford head coach Darek Panol. "They showed true heart and grit grinding out the victory against a quality opponent."
Josiah Blick proved to be the difference maker, finishing a terrific ball from Bryan McCoy to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead in the 57th minute.
"Even though Josiah was not the biggest player on the field he showed great creativity in losing his defender and beating everyone to the near post," Panol said. "He's a true gamer, stepping out of his comfort zone and soaring high above everyone to get hit first goal of the season, which is hopefully the first of many he'll score for us this season."
Blick led the Panthers' offense with three shots, two of which were on goal. Samuel Franchi played well up top yet again, finishing with four shots, while Chris Wise, Bobby Sorokas and Amadou Sow all added scoring chances for the Panthers in the victory.
The Panther's discipline played a huge role in their success Saturday afternoon, as Alfred State finished the game with 27 fouls, including six yellow cards. Pitt-Bradford kept their composure and didn't let the Pioneer's fouls cause them to stray away from the game plan.
Colin Frownfelter was outstanding in net, collecting six saves en route to his first shutout victory of the season.
"Colin was able to record his first shutout because he was composed and didn't make any mental mistakes," Panol said. "Colin's positive performance helped our back four play with a clear mind, because they knew Colin had their back."
The Panthers improve to 1-2-1 with the victory, including a 1-1 mark at home this season. The Pioneers fell to 2-2 on the year.
Pitt-Bradford returns to action Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Thiel College.
