WAYNESBURG, Pa. (Sept. 1) – The Waynesburg University men's soccer team opened its 2023 campaign by hosting La Roche on Friday night. Things looked bleak for the Yellow Jackets, but three goals in three minutes turned a loss into a 3-1 victory at John F. Wiley Stadium.
 
After the two teams played to a 0-0 halftime score, the Redhawks (0-1) tallied the first point of the night in the 61^st minute. For roughly 17 minutes, Waynesburg (1-0) was unable to get an equalizer and it looked like the night was going to end in disappointment. Then the 78^th minute got underway.
 
Senior Logan Corradi (Darlington, Pa. / Blackhawk) posted Waynesburg's first goal of the young season in the 78^th minute to tie the score at 1-1. Junior Seth Massotti (Douglass, Mass. / Whitinsville Christian) set up the tally.
 
Just 1:39 seconds later, graduate student Samuel Hawkins (Great Mills, Md. / Great Mills) picked up his first point of the fall when he assisted on the eventual game winner from junior Connor Jacobs (Waynesboro, Pa. / Waynesboro). Waynesburg's scoring flurry concluded in the 81^st minute when Hawkins split the pipes to bring about the final score.
 
The home team's rally punctuated a night in which the Yellow Jackets dominated the stat sheet. Waynesburg held sizeable advantages in total shots (22-9), shots on goal (8-3) and corner kicks (12-2).
 
Junior Michael Francus (Bethel Park, Pa. / Bethel Park) started and played all 90 minutes in goal for the Jackets. He improved to 1-0 on the season after notching a pair of saves.
 
Waynesburg returns to Wiley Stadium on Monday Sept. 4, for a Labor Day meeting with Penn State Beaver. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.