MEADVILLE, PA – Junior Jake Pawlika scored one goal and assisted on another as he led the Nazareth University Men’s Soccer team to open the season with a 3-1 victory over Allegheny Friday afternoon.
The Golden Flyers (1-0-0) scored 17 minutes into the game as Pawlika sent a short pass and senior Noah Malta drilled a low shot into the corner of the goal for the early lead.
Five minutes later, a crossing pass was deflected into the back of the Allegheny (0-1-0) goal that was credited as an own goal and Nazareth took the 2-0 lead.
Less than a minute later, an intercepted clearing pass by Allegheny led to goalie Logan Menna coming out of his goal and sliding into the Gator player causing a penalty shot that was converted to cut the Nazareth lead in half.
In the second half, a long throw in into the box bounced to the foot of Pawlika and he put a shot past the Allegheny goalie for a 3-1 lead.
Nazareth held the two-goal lead for the remainder of the game.The Golden Flyers return home to host Morrisville at 2 p.m. Sunday in Golden Flyer Stadium.