Senior
Jake Acosta scored the game-winning goal in the 57th minute to lift the 17th-ranked University of Scranton men's soccer team to a 1-0 victory over No. 16 Messiah University in the season opener Tuesday night at Weiss Field.
The Basics
- Final Score: No. 17 Scranton - 1, No. 16 Messiah - 0
- Records: No. 17 Scranton (1-0), No. 16 Messiah (0-1)
How It Happened
- First Half: The two nationally ranked teams battled through a scoreless opening 45 minutes, with Scranton holding a 4-3 edge in shots.
- 56:28: Alex Kozdron played a ball into the box from the left wing, where senior Jake Acosta crashed in and buried the finish to give the Royals a 1-0 lead.
- Second Half: Scranton controlled the play offensively, outshooting Messiah 7-2 in the final 45 minutes.
- Final: Scranton held on for the 1-0 victory over No. 16 Messiah to open the 2026 season.
Top Performers
- Jake Acosta: Scored the game-winning goal in the 57th minute for his first goal of the season.
- Alex Kozdron: Assisted on Acosta's game-winning goal with a well-placed ball into the box from the left wing.
- Drew Paxson & James Mayo: Anchored a Royals back line that limited No. 16 Messiah to just five shots and one shot on goal.
- Justin Scavalla: Played all 90 minutes in goal for the Royals and recorded his first career shutout for Scranton while recording 1 save.
Up Next
- Scranton will travel to Muhlenberg College on Saturday, Sept. 5 for a non-conference road contest at 1:00 p.m. in Allentown, Pa.Â
