CRESSON, Pa. — The Mount Aloysius College men's soccer team saw its impressive postseason run come to an end on Saturday, November 7, falling 3-0 to Penn State Behrend in the AMCC Championship Game at Kelly Field.
Playing in front of a home crowd of 400 spectators, the Mounties battled throughout the afternoon, creating several scoring opportunities against a strong Penn State Behrend squad. Despite an aggressive second-half offensive effort, Mount Aloysius was unable to find the back of the net.
The championship appearance capped off an outstanding conference campaign for the Mounties, who entered the contest with a 9-6-4 overall record and an undefeated 6-0-1 mark in AMCC play.
The opening half featured a competitive defensive battle, with both teams looking to establish control in the conference title match.
Mount Aloysius generated two early corner kicks before Pelayo Martin (Ciudad Real, Spain, IES Santa María de Alarcos) recorded the team's first shot in the 18th minute. The Mounties continued to work their way into the attacking third, with Ethan Daley (Chislehurst, England, Farringtons School) providing an offensive spark off the bench.
Daley recorded two first-half shots, including an attempt in the 37th minute that forced a save from the Penn State Behrend goalkeeper.
Defensively, Sam Denchfield (Truro, England, Loughborough College) helped keep the Mounties in the contest, recording two saves during the opening 45 minutes. His efforts, combined with the defensive unit in front of him, kept the match scoreless heading into halftime.
Mount Aloysius returned from the break with renewed energy, immediately increasing its offensive pressure.
Gonzalo Terricabris (Catalonia, Spain, Garbi Pere Verges) opened the second half with a shot in the 48th minute, followed by scoring opportunities from Benjamin Lyons (East Brunswick, N.J., East Brunswick) and Declan Berry (Taunton, England, Pyrland School). Both Lyons and Berry placed their attempts on goal, forcing saves as the Mounties searched for the opening score.
Terricabris continued to challenge the opposing defense, recording another shot on goal in the 53rd minute. Axel Qvarnstroem (Uppsala, Sweden, Katedralskolan ) added an opportunity in the 57th minute as Mount Aloysius maintained its offensive momentum.
Despite the Mounties' strong start to the second half, Penn State Behrend broke the scoreless tie in the 59th minute when Cooper Nichols scored to give the visitors a 1-0 advantage.
Mount Aloysius continued to push forward in search of an equalizer. Terricabris and Qvarnstroem generated additional scoring opportunities as the Mounties worked to regain momentum.
Penn State Behrend extended its advantage in the 76th minute before adding a third goal in the 85th minute to secure the conference championship.
The Mounties continued to compete until the final whistle, with Martin Donner (Stockholm, Sweden, Danderyds Gymnasium Studievagl), Hugo Olausson Ljungmark (Trelleborg, Sweden, Soderlattsgymnasiet), Felix Nylen (Gothenburg, Sweden, Hulebacksgymnasiet), and Harry Ecobichon (St. Helier, Jersey, Hautlieu) recording late shot attempts.
Mount Aloysius finished the match with 14 total shots, including four on goal, while holding a 6-3 advantage in corner kicks. The Mounties also outshot Penn State Behrend 11-7 during the second half, demonstrating their determination to battle back in the championship contest.
Terricabris led the offensive effort with three shots, including one on goal. Qvarnstroem and Daley each contributed two attempts, while Lyons and Berry added one shot on goal apiece.
Denchfield played all 90 minutes in goal, recording three saves in the championship match.
The Mountie's had 3 players make the all tournament team, those players were Declan Berry, Martin Donner, and Rasmus Andersson (Orebro, Sweden, Virginska Gymnasiet).
A Memorable Conference Campaign
Although Saturday's result was not the outcome the Mounties had hoped for, the 2026 season featured several significant accomplishments for the Mount Aloysius men's soccer program.
The Mounties completed their conference regular-season schedule undefeated at 6-0-1, earning a first-round bye in the AMCC Tournament, winning the regular season championship, and advancing to the conference championship game.
Throughout the conference campaign, Mount Aloysius demonstrated its ability to compete at a high level, combining timely offensive production with strong defensive performances.
The team's success was built on contributions from throughout the roster, with players stepping into important roles and delivering key performances during the regular season and postseason.
Saturday's championship appearance represented the culmination of months of preparation, hard work, and dedication from the Mounties.
While the team fell short of capturing the conference title, its undefeated AMCC regular season and appearance in the championship game provided plenty of accomplishments to celebrate.
The Mounties conclude their AMCC Tournament run with a championship appearance, having established themselves as one of the conference's top teams during the 2026 season.
