LA PLUME, PA (September 14, 2022) --- The King's College men's soccer team used to first-half goals to defeat the Keystone College Giants 2-0 on Wednesday night in La Plume, PA.

With the win, the Monarchs improve to 3-3 on the year, while the Giants fall to 1-4.

It was a back-and-forth affair early on as both sides fired off two shots in the opening 15 minutes, however it was the Monarchs who struck first. After Liam Yair's attempt at goal was blocked, the loss ball made its way to Shane Serio whose shot got through and found its way to the back of the net, giving King's a 1-0 lead in the 18^th minute. Following the opening goal, the teams once again traded shots over the next twenty minutes, before King's doubled their lead. This time, the initial shot by Kyle Carroll was turned aside, but Dylan Domcheck corralled the loose ball and fed Philip Permyashkin who found the twine to put King's on top 2-0 in the 40^th minute, and that's how the teams headed into the break.

At the half, King's held the advantage in every major statistical category, outshooting Keystone 10-6 overall, including 3-0 on shots on target, while also holding a 2-0 lead on corner kicks.

Up 2-0 heading to the second half, King's was determined to hold onto the lead. In the opening ten minutes of the frame, the Monarchs ripped off four shots, and added a corner kick, but were unable to extend the lead. With time running out, Keystone fired off three of the final five shots of the game but could not beat King's goalkeeper Jake Forst, as the Monarchs collected the 2-0.

The final stats were all in favor of King's who held a decisive advantage in the major categories outshooting Keystone 17-9 overall and 4-2 on shots on target, garnering four corners to the Giants two.

Serio and Permyashkin paced the offense, as each collected a goal, with Serio's goal coming on three shots, with one on target, while Permyashkin totaled two shots, also with one on target. Yair and Egnatovich both also tallied three shots, with Aziz Atiyeh and Yair both notching the other shots on target, one a piece. Forst collected the start between the sticks, making two saves, getting the clean sheet.

For the Giants, Axel Gonzales paced the offense recording three shots, while CJ Lampert and Luis Arrieta both tallied two shots.

The Monarchs return to action on Saturday, as they head to Huntingdon, PA to play Juniata College, with kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m.