The Penn College men’s soccer team will rely on continued outstanding defensive play and opportunistic scoring on Wednesday when it hosts Keystone College in a United East Conference first-round playoff match at 7 p.m.

“Our defense and goalkeeping play was really solid,” coach Tyler Mensch said. “Our goal is always to allow one goal or less per match and we ended the regular season statistically at 1.12 goals allowed per game. Offensively, we have received timely scoring and having taken advantage of good opportunities.”

After going 5-1-2 in the conference and 10-4-3 overall, Penn College is seeded sixth and Keystone, 2-4-2 in the UE and 3-11-2 overall, is seeded 11th in a 12-team field. The winner will travel to third-seeded Cairn University on Saturday for a quarterfinal match.

According to the conference website, soccer was played in an unbalanced schedule this season, with each program competing in eight conference contests.

Although the Wildcats and Keystone didn’t meet in the regular season, they faced seven common opponents. Both teams beat Gallaudet University and Wilson College, tied Lancaster Bible College and lost to Penn State Abington and King’s College. They split against Rosemont College, with Penn College winning 4-1 and Keystone losing by the same score, and they split against Cairn, with Penn College tying 1-1 and Keystone losing 3-0.

In United East-only matches this season, Penn College has scored 20 goals and allowed nine, while Keystone has scored 12 and allowed 16.

Tommy DeGeyter of Long Valley, New Jersey, leads the Wildcats offensively with three goals and four assists in conference play and Logan Stapleton of Chambersburg has three goals and two assists. Four other players have two goals each.

Defensively in goal for Penn College, Cole Catherman of Selinsgrove has allowed five goals, owns a 1.07 goals-against average and 0.773 save percentage during UE play, and Justin Potts of Media has allowed four goals, has a 1.21 goals-against average and 0.733 save percentage.

Keystone’s leaders are Hernan Goday, with four UE goals and two assists, while goalie Landon Keller has allowed 14 goals, has a 2.04 goals-against average, and has a 0.759 save percentage.

“Keystone is a very well-coached team, and I know head coach Clint Caso will have a good game plan for us. He has a very tactical mind and has played at a high level, and it shows in his team’s preparation and play on the field,” Mensch said.