NEWARK, N.J. - The TCNJ men's soccer team took on Penn State Harrisburg on Day 1 of the Brick City Classic Saturday night, besting the Lions 4-1 to remain unbeaten through three games in 2025.
 
Play was dominated by Penn State Harrisburg (1-2) to start Saturday's contest, but it was TCNJ (3-0) that drew first blood in the 18th minute. On their third corner in a five minute span, the Lions sent a ball in that was punched away by PSU-Harrisburg's goalie, but only as far as Sean Wood. The junior sent the ball back into the box where it ping-ponged between Manny Thacher and Chris Meder before Matias Hornos – playing in his first game of the season – rifled it into the back of the goal to make it 1-0 TCNJ.
 
The in-state Lions doubled their lead in the 36th minute off the foot of Aidan Ayar – the freshman's second goal of the season to pair with his two assists. J.J. Zaun fed a through ball into the final third that Pablo Argueta was able to chase down and send into the box toward Ayar. The freshman collected the ball, crossed a Penn State Harrisburg defender and sent it past the goalie and in.
 
Play appeared to slow in the waning minutes of the half, but a surprise long ball from Lawrence Mancino found a sprinting Nathan Lipton one-on-one with the Lions' netminder with just under two minutes to go. With the entire goal at his disposal, the junior calmly slotted the ball in, building TCNJ's lead to three entering halftime for the second consecutive game.
 
The sides traded blows for much of the second half before the Lions struck once again in the 87th minute to make it a 4-0 game. Meder dribbled the ball down the left sideline with Massimo Rodio and Thacher trailing. The junior fed the ball in the duo's direction, with a misplay by Penn State Harrisburg's defense giving the ball back to Meder in prime position to find the near post and balloon the lead to four.
 
TCNJ looked like a lock for its third consecutive shutout to start the season, but a Penn State Harrisburg goal less than a minute after the Lions' fourth spoiled the festivities in what ended as a comfortable, 4-1 victory for TCNJ.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• TCNJ outshot Penn State Harrisburg 8-5 in the contest, including a 5-1 advantage in shots on goal.
• The in-state Lions also finished with an 8-5 lead in corners.
• Hornos racked up a team-high three shots – two on frame – in his 2025 debut.

NOTES

• TCNJ is now 3-0 to start a season for the first time since 2019 when they began 4-0.
• The Lions have scored at least one goal in every half this season, including a stretch of four straight with at least three goals prior to today's second half.
• Lipton's goal was the first of his collegiate career.

UP NEXT

• The Lions are back for Day 2 of the Brick City Classic where they will face off against Farmingdale State, with kickoff scheduled for 3 p.m.