PITTSBURGH – The Grove City College men’s soccer team battled with the Thomas More Saints throughout the match, but Pat Jacobson netted the match’s lone goal in the 59^th minute as the Saints (17-2-1) edged the Wolverines (12-7-1), 1-0, in the 2014 Presidents’ Athletic Conference Men’s Soccer Championship Tournament Final on Saturday afternoon at Highmark Stadium.

Grove City, playing in their first PAC title match since 2005, nearly jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the fifth minute when a corner kick from sophomore Dale Reese (Rocky Hill, Conn./Loomis Chaffee) resulted in a blocked header shot from junior Justin Phillips (Simi Valley, Calif./Oaks Christian) and a subsequent header from junior Seth Loew (Center Valley, Pa./Southern Lehigh).

Loew’s header got past Thomas More goalkeeper Matt Kees but was batted down on the goal line by the hands of Saints’ defender Jake Plummer. After discussion among the referees, Plummer was issued a red card and the Wolverines were awarded a penalty kick. However, Loew’s ensuing penalty kick attempt hit the left goalpost and went out of bounds to keep the match scoreless.

The Wolverines, playing with the man advantage for the remainder of the match, generated several opportunities in the remainder of the first half but were unable to find the back of the net as the two teams entered halftime tied 0-0.

The two teams would continue to trade shots early in the second half, but Thomas More found its chance in the 59^th minute. Jacobson beat a Wolverine defender and then took advantage of space, bending a shot from 22 yards out past the outstretched arms of freshman goalkeeper Malcolm Blake (Moreland Hills, Ohio/Orange) and into the upper left corner of the net to give the Saints an advantage that they wouldn’t relinquish.

Blake made eight saves in net for the Wolverines in the loss. Grove City held a 21-17 advantage in total shots and an 8-5 edge in corner kicks.

Kees stopped nine shots for Thomas More, who claimed their sixth-straight conference title.

Grove City will now await a possible bid to the eight-team Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III South Tournament, to be announced Monday afternoon.