Men’s Soccer Salvages Tie in Key Conference Matchup Against NorthwesternMen’s Soccer Salvages Tie in Key Conference Matchup Against Northwestern

Men’s Soccer Salvages Tie in Key Conference Matchup Against Northwestern

Goals from Malick Daouda and Ben Madore earned the point for PSU

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – With its backs against the wall on Friday evening, Penn State men’s soccer salvaged a 2-2 draw against Big Ten foe Northwestern at Jeffrey Field in University Park, Pennsylvania. The result keeps the Nittany Lions’s conference tournament hopes alive, with the team just five points out of fourth place. Redshirt-sophomore Ben Madore put away the first score for PSU, but it was sophomore Malick Daouda who put the team on his back, scoring in the last minute of action to force the result.

Penn State moves to 5-5-3 (1-3-2 B1G) with the result, while the Wildcats face a near identical record at 6-4-3 (1-3-2 B1G).

 

HOW IT HAPPENED

First half

Penn State had the first two shots on goal in the contest, with the first coming from redshirt-junior Christian Dionne in the 14th minute, and the second in the 16th minute, also off the foot of No. 8. Northwestern netminder Ponce De Leon kept the clean sheet though, grabbing saves on both shots.

Ben Liscum had the only other shot on goal in the half, but a defensive effort by Northwestern kept the ball out of the cage, even when the NU goalkeeper was unable to make the stop.

 

Second half

Graduate student Kai Phillip opened the second frame with heightened intensity, attacking two slow touches by the NU goalkeeper to force split-second decisions in the first 30 seconds of the half, but the visitors evaded too much trouble.

Northwestern broke the stalemate in the 62nd minute. A corner kick from the visitors found its way to the back post and connected with the head of an NU midfielder. He redirected the ball back into the Penn State six-yard-box on a chaotic sequence, finding the foot of Wildcat midfielder Baraka Tarleton, who squeezed the ball past Evans to take a 1-0 lead.

Madore had the answer just over nine minutes later on an equally chaotic Penn State free kick. A service from senior Matthew Henderson connected with the head of freshman Joe Sheridan, who took a shot at goal only to hit the upright. Several legs began swinging at the loose ball, but it was Ben Madore’s toe tap that got the ball in the net, pushing the game to a 1-1 tie in the 70th minute.

Northwestern retook the lead in the 86th minute, scoring a shot from outside the PSU penalty box that found the right-side netting.

NU managed to craft a few more chances in the closing minutes and it looked all but finalized as a Penn State loss when the 6-6 freshman Joe Sheridan gathered a loose ball on the right wing and began racing up the field. His centering pass clipped off the heel of a Northwestern defender, landing at the feet of Daouda, who took one touch before volleying the ball into the back of the net with just 32 seconds remaining.

OF NOTE

  • Daouda’s goal marks his third of the season and second in 2025 conference play.
  • Madore’s goal marked his fifth of the season, moving him to sole possession of most goals in the team in 2025.
  • Sheridan’s assist to Daouda marks his first collegiate point.

 

UP NEXT

The Nittany Lions have a quick turnaround to take on No. 21 Washington in a key conference matchup as PSU hopes to keep its Big Ten tournament hopes alive. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. on Monday, October 20. Action will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network for the Nittany Lions’ second nationally broadcast game of the season.