Cougars Deliver Breakout Second Half to Secure First Win

Frederick Community College Cougars men's soccer delivered its best performance of the young season Saturday afternoon, shutting out Penn State Greater Allegheny 4-0 at home to notch the program's first win of 2025 — and the first victory for new head coach Gary Hull. After a tense, scoreless first half in which the Cougars held a 5-0 shot advantage but couldn't find the net, FCC exploded after the break.

In the 52nd minute, sophomore Jason Shairzad broke the deadlock with an unassisted strike, igniting the Cougars' attack. Freshman Yeiferson Mendez followed in the 68th minute with his first goal of the season to double the lead. Just six minutes later, midfielder Franklyn Peña capitalized on sustained pressure to push the score to 3-0. Defender Joshua Ames capped the scoring spree in the 76th minute, ensuring a decisive result for Frederick.

Defensively, the Cougars were just as dominant. Goalkeepers Casey Cutshall and Thomas McCaffery split time to combine for a one-save shutout, while the back line held Greater Allegheny to a single shot all match. FCC finished with a 13 shots and controlled the tempo throughout the second half, a staple Coach Hull has emphasized since taking over the program.

With the win, the Cougars improve to 1-4-1 overall. They'll aim to carry their momentum on the road when they travel to Garrett College for a 5:00 PM kickoff on Tuesday, September 16.