BEAVER FALLS, Pa. -- The Grove City College men's soccer team earned a 1-0 win Wednesday night at previously-undefeated Geneva (12-1-5) in the Presidents' Athletic Conference Championship Tournament semifinals at Reeves Field. The victory sends third-seeded Grove City (12-3-3) into Saturday night's championship match at top-seeded Franciscan. Franciscan doubled up Allegheny in the other semifinal bout Wednesday, 4-2. 

Junior midfielder Matt Herrmann (Hilton, N.Y./Paul V. Moore) gave Grove City the lead 9:35 into the match by scoring an unassisted goal. After Geneva failed to clear the ball out of the defensive end, Herrmann blasted a 20-yard strike past goalkeeper Evan Shale.

Defensively, Grove City limited second-seeded Geneva to only six total shots and one shot on goal. The Wolverines finished with eight total shots, including three on goal. Grove City also owned an 8-6 corner kick edge. 

Junior goalkeeper Teddy Almeter (Monroeville, Pa./Serra) made one save in cementing the Wolverines' ninth shutout of the season. Almeter lowered his goals-against average to 0.73. That is the third-lowest single-season mark in program history. 

Both of Herrmann's goals this year have been game-winners. He scored with 32 seconds left September 4 to give Grove City a 2-1 win at Oberlin.

Wednesday's win marked Grove City's first road shutout in the conference tournament since a 0-0 deadlock exactly 11 years ago at Washington & Jefferson. It's Grove City's first-ever shutout win on the road in conference tournament play. 

Grove City is 7-1-1 in its last nine matches. The lone defeat came October 16 at Franciscan, when the Barons captured a 3-2 win in Steubenville. Grove City won 4-1 at Franciscan in the 2023 tournament semifinals. 

Saturday's championship match will start at 7 p.m.