BETHANY, W.Va. - The Westminster College men's soccer team won the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) championship by upsetting top-seeded Bethany, 4-3, Saturday in Bethany, W.Va.
The second-seeded Titans (12-6-2) captured their first PAC title since 2002 by rallying from a 2-0 first-half deficit. Westminster sophomore Steve Hogya (Finleyville, Pa./Ringgold) scored the game-winning goal with an unassisted score in the 69th minute after the Titans forged a 3-3 halftime tie. The goal was Hogya's first of his career.
Bethany (14-3-3) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first 21 minutes on goals by Joe Lanza and Sean Esterbauer, before Westminster knotted the score at 2-2 on goals by freshman Justin Flowers (Verona, Pa./St. Joseph's) and senior Mark Sadler (New Kensington, Pa./St. Joseph's). Both Flowers' and Sadler's goals were their second of the season.
The Bison retook the lead at 3-2 with three minutes to play in the first half on a goal by Ramon Franklyn, but the Titans came right back as junior forward Andrew Saporito (Irwin, Pa./Penn-Trafford) buried his team-high 12th goal of the season with a minute remaining in the half.
After Hogya's goal in the 69th minute, the Titan defense held the Bison at bay as Westminster held an 18-12 shot advantage and a 9-5 margin in corner kicks. Junior goalkeeper Christopher Passione (Valencia, Pa./Mars) made one save to earn the win, while Bethany's Kosta Floros stopped six shots in defeat.
Founded in 1852 and related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Westminster College is ranked among national leaders in graduation rate performance, according to U.S. News Guide to America's Best Colleges, and is one of the most affordable national liberal arts colleges in Pennsylvania. Westminster is also honored as one of "The Best 361 Colleges" and "Best in the Northeast" by The Princeton Review, and was recognized by the Templeton Guide as a "Character Building College."
Nearly 1,600 students benefit from individualized attention from dedicated faculty, while choosing from 41 majors and nearly 100 organizations on the New Wilmington, Pa. campus.
