Conte's Early Goal Sends Stevens Men's Soccer To MAC Freedom Final, 1-0, Over Lebanon Valley

11/5/2026 4:18:00 PM

Story Courtesy of Stevens Athletics

Annville, Pa. – Stevens Institute of Technology's men's soccer team, the No. 4 seed in the MAC Freedom Championship, knocked off the No. 1 seed Lebanon Valley, 1-0, on Thursday in the Semifinals, advancing to Saturday's Final.

How It Happened
The Ducks held a 3-1 shot advantage through the first 10 minutes before Joseph Conte broke through in the 11th. Emerson Kekesi sliced a through ball to about 20 yards out, which Conte corralled between two defenders, dribbled to roughly midway between the penalty marker and the top of the box, then beat Dutchmen keeper Isaac Yerger in the bottom left corner.

Neither side recorded another shot until Yerger denied Lucas Mendes on a penalty kick in the 25th minute, keeping the Ducks from doubling their lead. The final 20 minutes of the half transpired with just three total shots recorded (one from Stevens), with none of them going on-target.

Stevens (10-4-4) continued pushing forward in the second half while continuing to limit threats for Lebanon Valley. The Dutchmen recorded just one low-percentage attempt on goal, which Stevens' keeper Bobby Boyke easily saved, while Stevens forced an additional four saves from Yerger amidst 11 shots overall.

The Ducks' defense continued to stifle the Dutchmen to the final whistle, conceding just two (blocked) shots over the final 20 minutes to seal the win and earn a trip to Saturday's Final, where they'll seek a sixth straight conference championship.

Inside the Box Score
  • Stevens now has the last two instances of a 4/5 seed beating the 1 seed in the MAC Freedom Semifinals, following the 2021 team that knocked off Arcadia en route to a conference title
  • The Ducks have eliminated Lebanon Valley from four straight MAC Freedom postseasons, with three of those matches ending 1-0
  • Boyke posted his second shutout in his last three outings, his fourth in his last seven, and his seventh of the season in total
  • Conte finished with three shots on goal, matching his total for the season coming in
Up Next
Stevens will face the winner of No. 2 Arcadia or No. 3 King's on the road on Saturday, time TBD, with the winner earning the league's auto bid to the NCAA Championships. Stevens drew with both teams during the regular season, at home against King's and on the road against Arcadia.

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