Behrend Men's Soccer Kicks Off HLM Tournament Friday

ERIE, Pa. – The Penn State Behrend men's soccer team will host the annual Herb Lauffer Memorial Soccer Tournament this weekend at the soccer complex, beginning on Friday and finishing on Sunday. The Lions face Franciscan in the first game of the tournament at 2 p.m.

Weekend Schedule/Live Coverage:

Friday
September 2: Behrend vs. Franciscan, 2 p.m. (Video | Live Stats)

Saturday
September 3: Franciscan vs. Fredonia, 12 p.m. (Video | Live Stats)
September 3: Behrend vs. Wooster, 2:30 p.m. (Video | Live Stats)

Sunday
September 4: Wooster vs. Fredonia, 12 p.m. (Video | Live Stats)

Behrend News & Notes:

* The Behrend Lions were selected the favorites to win the AMCC championship this season
* Last season, the Lions advanced to the AMCC semifinals and finished with a 13-6 overall record
* Senior goalkeeper Sam York (Akron, OH/Revere) was tabbed Preseason Co-Defensive Player of the Year
* Junior Andrew Cassano (Bethel Park, PA/Bethel Park) is returning All-Region and All-Conference defender and the 2021 AMCC Defensive Player of the Year
* Behrend also returns All-Conference players in Zak Schwarzel (South Park, PA/South Park), Justin LeDonne (Murrysville, PA/Franklin Regional), Sean Abraham (Oakmont, PA/Riverview) and Tyler Vandemerwe (Erie, PA/Cathedral Prep)
* The Lions won their 10^th AMCC Championship and made their eighth NCAA Tournament appearance in 2019
* Behrend's rosters features 29 players including eight seniors and eight newcomers
* Head Coach Dan Perritano begins his 29^th year with the Lions and is joined by Chris Ralph on the sidelines

Meet the Opposition:

* Fredonia posted a 6-11 overall record a year ago
* The Blue Devils have 22 returning letterwinners and add six freshmen to the roster
* Fredonia defeated the Behrend Lions 1-0 last season

* The Barons open the season against Behrend
* Franciscan was tabbed fifth in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Preseason Poll
* The Baron roster six graduate players and five seniors

* Wooster will battle Baldwin Wallace on Thursday before making its way to the HLM Tournament on Saturday
* The Fighting Scots went 9-7-2 last season and 3-4-2 in the North Coast Athletic Conference
* Wooster's roster features eight seniors, seven juniors, nine sophomores and eight newcomers