ASTON, Pa. - The Neumann University men's soccer team started its quest for the 2021 Atlantic East Conference title on Saturday afternoon, notching a 4-2 victory over visiting Marywood University to advance to the conference semifinals.
 
Marlon Trejo carried the Knights offensively on the day with a pair of goals and an assist, while Sam Clavijo and Jake Kuzmick also scored. Seth Walker was strong in goal with five saves to pick up the win.
 
Playing each other for the second time in four days, Neumann would be tested by sixth seeded Marywood from almost the opening whistle. After shutting the Pacers out on Wednesday by a score of 3-0, the Knights would need to find another way to win on Saturday afternoon. The visitors came out energized and ready to play, stunning Neumann with an opening goal in the sixth minute to jump out to an early 1-0 lead.
 
Rather than allowing the pressure of conceding the early goal get to them, the Knights responded sternly, taking the play to Marywood for the remainder of the half. The hosts hurled eight shots toward the visitors' goal throughout the frame and were finally rewarded via a Trejo set piece in the 31st minute. The senior midfielder launched a ball from 45 yards out that caused confusion inside the Marywood box. Multiple players including the Pacer goaltender went up to play the ball, but it carried over everyone's head and into the side netting to level the contest at 1-1. The Pacers nearly edged their way back in front late in the half, but a diving save from Walker in the 38th minute kept the game tied going into halftime.
 
After making a few adjustments at the intermission, the Knights wasted no time delivering their first lead of the game. Again on a set piece, Trejo found a streaking Corey Madigan behind a Marywood defender. Madigan laid a ball back to Clavijo, who one timed a looping shot from the penalty spot into the left corner of the net to make it 2-1 in favor of Neumann. The Knights had two attempts to double their advantage midway through the frame, but both efforts just nearly missed. Madigan rattled the post in the 61st minute, then just seconds later Alex Lopez-Luna ripped a ball just wide as the game stayed 2-1. Neumann's relentless pressure would finally pay off though in the 68th minute. Using another Trejo delivery, this time on a corner kick, Kuzmick banged home a loose ball on the goal-line to give the hosts some breathing room at 3-1 with 22 minutes left the play.
 
Marywood would not go quietly though, fighting it's way back into the contest with a goal off a deflected shot from distance with 8:51 left to play to make it 3-2. That would be as close as the visitors would get though, as the Knights sealed the match just three minutes later. A long ball hit into the Pacer back-line by Neumann was misplayed by a defender, giving Jon Yinger a breakaway on goal. The freshman forward was then hauled down in the box, giving the Knights a penalty kick. Trejo then calmly stepped to the penalty spot and ripped home his team leading 10th goal of the season to clinch the 4-2 victory and send the Knights into the conference semifinals.
 
No. 3 Neumann (7-10-1) will have two days to recover before traveling to No.2 Immaculata University for an Atlantic East Conference semifinal matchup at 7:00 PM. Top seeded Cabrini University will play host to No. 4 Marymount University in the other semifinal, with the winners advancing the championship game on Saturday, November 6th.