The Pitt-Greensburg men's soccer team opened Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) play with a strong statement Tuesday evening, defeating Penn State Altoona 3-0 at Ridilla Field.

Lucas Pittman sparked the offense with a pair of first-half goals, including a composed finish in the 28th minute off a well-placed assist from Cam Loveland. Just six minutes later, Pittman struck again to give the Bobcats a 2-0 lead heading into halftime.

Loveland added a goal of his own in the 60th minute, capping off a standout performance with three points (1 goal, 1 assist). The Bobcats outshot the Lions 9-7 and controlled the tempo throughtout the match. 

"We knew the weather would be warm, so it was really important to tire them out on defense and strike at the correct time," said Head Coach Marc Bucci. "We've been struggling with finishing, so it was great for Lucas and the team to put away our dangerous chances."

In goal, Nick Braun recorded five saves to earn the shutout, while the defense held strong and limited good scoring chances by Penn State Altoona. 

Bucci emphasized the importance of the result in a competitive conference landscape: "We understand it's a different conference than previous years in that there are competitive games each week for every team. I don't think there will be many lopsided results throughout, so the win and the shutout are about all I could ask for."

AMCC play will continue for the Bobcats on Saturday as they travel to Pitt-Bradford. Kickoff is set for 7PM.