BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - The Bloomsburg men's soccer team finished the 2026 season on a high note with a 3-2 win at Steph Pettit Stadium over East Stroudsburg on Thursday evening.
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The night was an offensive showcase, as for every conversion the Huskies (6-7-5, 2-5-3 PSAC East) found, the Warriors (7-6-5, 4-3-3 PSAC East) had an answer.
Caleb Sitler (Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra) was the star of the night for Bloomsburg, posting a career-best effort in the win. The forward scored two goals and had one assist for the Huskies, finishing the evening with the game-winning effort in the 78th minute.
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How It Happened:
Bloomsburg opened the match controlling the run of play. Able to dominate early possession, the Huskies worked the ball down the wing and whipped in several crosses to create opportunities.
Andrew Beagle (Bloomsburg, Pa./Central Columbia) was on the receiving end of those passes, connecting twice and forcing an early save from East Stroudsburg. Despite one early shot on target for the Warriors, Bloomsburg was in control for the majority of the first 15 minutes of the match.
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The flow shifted over the next 15 minutes, with East Stroudsburg getting its turn on the ball. The Warriors fired off a pair of shots and drew their second corner of the night, but nothing of consequence arose from that run of play, with the Huskies holding their ground against the visitors' early efforts.
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After a round of substitutions for both sides, it was the Bloomsburg press that broke through and created the opening goal. Subbing in three minutes prior,
Cooper Fitzgerald (Milford, Conn./Jonathan Law) stepped up from his spot in the center of the Huskies' backline to track his mark in the East Stroudsburg half of the field as the Warriors tried to build out from the back following a goal kick. The defender put in a strong challenge to poke the ball forward toward Sitler, with the forward given the time and space to square up a shot. That decision from East Stroudsburg proved to be the wrong one, as Sitler converted from over 25 yards out to put Bloomsburg up 1-0.
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The Huskies' initial lead barely lasted over two minutes, as the Warriors soon tied up the match. A scramble for the ball inside the penalty box was whistled a poor challenge by Bloomsburg, leading to a trip to the spot. From there, the East Stroudsburg penalty taker sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to convert from the spot and send the match tied into halftime at 1-1.
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Both teams came out red hot in the first 10 minutes of the second half in pursuit of their second goals. The Huskies got things started with an early corner kick and a trio of shots that did not find their way onto the frame. The Warriors managed to get in behind the Bloomsburg defense in the 54th minute, but the Huskies rallied in time to block a pair of shots inside the 18-yard box to deny East Stroudsburg.
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Bloomsburg took advantage of its next opportunity, able to take advantage of a set piece to grab the lead for the second time on the night. Sitler stood over the dead ball to deliver the service, with his insert bouncing right on the edge of the box. With the ball dodging several outstretched limbs, it allowed
Owen Hollobaugh (State College, Pa./State College) to beat his mark to the ball. The senior forward got his right leg out, and the inside of his right boot curled around the ball enough to loop it over a new goalkeeper for the Warriors and hit the underside of the crossbar to go in for the team's second.
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The chances stalled for both sides following the goal, as the two teams combined for only two shots in over 15 minutes of play. Out of the blue, East Stroudsburg got on the break after punting a clearance up the field on a ball played from the Huskies' half. The Warriors got a player behind the Bloomsburg backline with a bolt of pace to create and beat the goalkeeper one-on-one to tie the match for the second time.
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It took a little over five minutes for Sitler and the Huskies to put away the final goal and the game for good. The Bloomsburg midfield won the ball in its defensive half and carried it through the middle with ground and numbers in front. Sitler received the ball along the right wing and cut back inside past a defender onto his preferred left foot. The ensuing strike initially hit the goalkeeper's hands from East Stroudsburg, but the ball spilled out and into the bottom left corner to give the Huskies the lead for the third and final time.
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A couple of last-ditch efforts and one final corner came from the visitors, as the Huskies wrapped up the 2026 season in the win column. Bloomsburg finished the night with a 12-10 advantage in the shot department, including a 5-3 edge in attempts on target. East Stroudsburg won the corner battle, 5-4.
Number of Note:
65 - With Bloomsburg's victory in the final match of 2026, head coach
Mark Bassett finishes his sixth season in charge of the Huskies with 65 victories. That mark is good for sole possession for the second most in program history.
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