Penns Valley 3, Bald Eagle Area 1

BEA 0 1 – 1

PV   1 2 – 3

Goals

First half

PV – Marshall Dawson unassisted, 14:55.

Second half 

BEA – Andrew Ream unassisted, 31:39.

PV – Cayden Merrill unassisted, 15:31

PV – Keyton Gerner from Chase Fleshman, 7:43. 

Shots on goals – BEA 7, PV 11

Corners – BEA 4, PV 5

Saves – BEA Clayton Reigh 11, PV – Gavin Robb 2.

By Kenny Varner

SPRING MILLS – The night had a post season feel to it Monday as the Penns Valley boys soccer team went up against a young and improving Bald Eagle Area squad at Penns Valley High School.

With the game tied at one going into the final 15-minutes, the Rams offense swarmed around the Eagles goal, taking the lead for good, winning 3-1 in a Mountain League clash. 

Despite the loss, Bald Eagle coach Jason Bair was proud of how his team battled especially in their own goal area. 

“There was a lot of activity there. There was a lot of physical play and two of my guys left me due to injuries and my team isn’t capable at this point to take when some of those guys get injured. I had guys to fill the holes. They did a good job. There was just a little breakdown in communication after that,” said Bald Eagle coach Jason Bair. “Hoping to get them both back. We’ll see. Penns  Valley is a very physical team. But we never quit! We fought hard and I liked their attitudes the whole game.”

Both teams tried to establish the momentum early on but it would be both defense’s that would take center stage.

Penns Valley was able to establish an early edge offensively, pushing it into the Eagles end as the 20-minute mark. 

After spending sometime valuable time in the back-third of Bald Eagle, the Rams found the opening they would need to get on the scoreboard. 

At 14:55 Marshall Dawson plastered a header on a corner kick, scoring the goal past the Bald Eagle goalie, making it a 1-0 lead.

Neither team would be able to get anything through the rest of the half, despite some nail biting runs by both teams.

Coming out of the intermission, the Eagles came out with a extra pep in their step and were determined to tie the contest. 

Using his blazing speed to breakaway free downfield Andrew Ream got free and smashed a cross field goal to the right corner of the Rams net, tying the game on an unassisted goal at 31:39.

With the tying goal, the tension rose as did the intensity levels of both teams, both looking to break the stalemate and give their team the lead.

Like in the first half, the Rams were able to swarm in front of the Bald Eagle Area goal area.

After surviving numerous shots at their goal, the Rams were able to slide one past to take the lead. 

The Rams’ Cayden Merrill put his team ahead as he picked up a rebound from a Bald Eagle stop and sent it home on an unassisted, goal at 15:31.

“When they tied it up, I saw their spirit just go down. What I told them at the end was, ‘You know what made the difference?” We talked about this before the game. You had the will to win. You had the drive that you really wanted to win this game,” said Penns Valley coach Ken Gore. “I said that’s going to be important going into our last three games. That’s really what propelled us.”

Penns Valley would add to its lead when Keyton Gerner would catch a pass in front of the goal from Chase Fleshman, and he took it home for the goal at 7:43. 

From there, the Rams were able to hold on for the win.