HIRAM, Ohio (August 30) – Freshman Sarpong Kwabiah's (Odenton, Md. / Meade) left-footed strike into the top-right corner of the goal in the 83rd minute powered the Waynesburg University men's soccer team to a 1-0 victory at Hiram in the Jackets' season opener on Friday night. 

The future Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) opponents were locked in a competitive matchup that featured seven yellow cards and was scoreless for the first hour-plus of play. Waynesburg starts its season 1-0 while Hiram is 0-1. The Terriers will join the PAC as full members next fall.

Goalkeeper Michael Francus (Bethel Park, Pa. / Bethel Park) kept the Jackets in the mix throughout as he made seven saves. Hiram outshot the Jackets 13-7 in the contest and held a 7-2 edge in shots on goal.

Kwabiah's chance came seemingly out of nowhere as the teams traded possession back-and-forth on the Terriers' side of the field before the ball ended up at Kwabiah's feet in the center of the pitch, 35 yards from net. He dribbled forward and ripped a strike into the upper 90, past the leaping goalie, to notch his first collegiate goal.

The two teams combined for five shots on goal in the first half. Antonio Baires (San Marcos, Calif. / Calvin Christian) had the Jackets' lone attempt with a hard-angled shot from the left end line. Francus made four saves in less than four minutes from the 17th to 21st minutes as neither team recorded a shot on target the rest of the period.

Francus stopped a header after a lengthy free kick in the 64th and added a diving stop in 80th. He tracked down a right-angled free kick at the near post in the 82nd.

Kwabiah's tally came in the 83rd and the Jackets kept Hiram from attempting a shot the rest of the way.

The Jackets return to action at La Roche next Saturday.