HUNTINGDON, Pa.- The Juniata men's soccer team held on to win, 2-1, over visiting Penn College Tuesday evening at Gibbel Stadium in nonconference action.
Jarrod Gibson (Abington, Pa. / Abington) fired the Eagles into the lead just two and a half minutes into the game. Wyatt Page (King of Prussia, Pa. / Shipley) crossed a ball from the left corner and Jacob Grove (Harrisburg, Pa. / Central Dauphin HS) let the ball keep going past him to Gibson who ripped the ball into the left corner.
In the 13th minute, Bass Diakhoumpa (Dakar, Senegal / Mercersburg Academy) had a look at the goal from the left side of the box but the keeper saved it. Ten minutes later, Page ran in on a ball at the far post and blasted it just wide right of the net.
Juniata held a seven to one edge in shots in the first half.
The Eagles came out aggressively in the second half as they attempted five shots over the first 15 minutes but all of them were wide of the mark.
In the 66th minute, the Wildcats looked like they may tie it up when an Eagle miscue led to their forward getting an open shot from about 18 yards out, but his shot went wide right of the post.
In the 78th minute, Nick Sinapius (Phoenixville, Pa. / Phoenixville) tapped home a loose ball after Samuel Patston's (Oak Park, Ill. / Fenwick) shot was parried by the keeper.
Less than a minute later, Penn College got one back after a loose ball was eventually poked into the Juniata net at the left post.
The Eagles gutted out the final 10 minutes to hang on and get the victory.
Juniata held an 18-6 edge in shots and took the lone corner of the contest.
JC returns to conference action on the road this Saturday at Goucher. Kickoff is 1:00.