Wagner Warrants AEC Men’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week Award
Lancaster, Pa. – (10/17/2023) – Gwynedd Mercy University graduate goalkeeper
John Wagner (Phoenixville, Pa.) made his first
Atlantic East Conference (AEC) Men’s Soccer Weekly Report of the season in grand fashion as he garnered the league’s Defensive Player of the Week title with 10 saves in a 1-0-1 week that included a shutout of AEC rival, Immaculata University (W, 1-0 on Oct. 14). Wagner was joined on the report by AEC Men’s Soccer Player of the Week, Marymount University junior midfielder Leonardo Torres (Manassas, Va.), as well as his teammate fifth-year defensemen Carlos Varona (Miami, Fla.), Immaculata University goalkeeper John Wilhelm (Freehold, N.J.), Marywood University freshman midfielder Matt Laudenslager (Denver, Pa.), and Neumann University junior forward Jake Kuzmick (Springfield, Pa.), who garnered Honor Roll recognition.
Gwynedd Mercy University (3-6-5, 1-2) played host to Penn College (6-4-3) on Thursday, October 12, for their final non-conference matchup of the 2023 season. It was not an ideal start for the Griffins as the Wildcats got out to an early 1-0 lead with a goal just 21 seconds into the contest (0:21). Fortunately, a little over 25 minutes later, freshman forward
Javier Hidalgo (Palisades Park, N.J.) put pressure on Penn College and took one for the team as a hard in the box allowed graduate midfielder
Hugh Lynch (Philadelphia, Pa.) a penalty kick opportunity. Lynch did not miss, netting his first goal of the season and knotting the contest at 1-1 in the 26
th minute (25:40). Wagner (2-3-3) preserved the tie with three saves on 17 Penn College shots.
On Saturday (Oct. 14), Gwynedd Mercy University traveled to Immaculata University (4-5-4, 2-1) where a steady downpour made poor field conditions. The weather, however, did not affect the Lynch’s tenacity as the Griffin captain put pressure on the Mighty Mac backline enough for a rebound to find the feet of a wide open Braedon Kehan (Warrington, Pa.). The sophomore forward buried his third goal of the season (1-0, 32:01) to give the Griffins a 1-0 lead in their first Atlantic East Conference (AEC) victory of the season. Wagner totaled seven saves on 13 shots in the win (3-3-3).
Wagner currently ranks first in the AEC for save percentage (1
st, .811), second in the AEC for goals-against average (GAA) (2
nd, 1.18), and third in saves (43).
Gwynedd Mercy University continues their AEC schedule on Wednesday, October 18, when they host Marywood University for a 7:00 p.m. contest.
