William Penn University scored on two free kicks and a penalty kick in the second half to pull away and defeat the Culver-Stockton men's soccer team 5-2 Tuesday night at Ellison Poulton Stadium.

The game was knotted 2-2 at the intermission after a strong first half by the Wildcats who time and time again garnered scoring chances against the Statesmen.

However, the Statesmen scored quickly in the second half when Hugo Cornish broke the 2-2 tie with a free kick goal just outside the penalty area less than two minutes into the second half.

C-SC goalkeeper Ricardo Fischbach then was called for being outside the penalty area as he punted, giving the visitors a free kick at the top of the penalty area. Cornish buried it for his third goal the game. 

The Statesmen ended the scoring when a penalty kick was called after a four inside the penalty box in the 84th minute. Leighton Jameson stepped unto take the penalty and finished the scoring with his fourth goal of the season.

In the first half, the Wildcats struck first just four minutes into the game when Ethan Wilkinson-Felgate hit a free kick that deflected off the Statesmen wall and into the net.

William Penn answered nearly four minutes later as Cornish scored the first of his three goals in the game off a cross from Moses Melendez.

The Statesmen took a 2-1 lead in the 25th minute when the Wildcats failed to clear the ball inside the penalty area. John-Joe Mullane stole a clearing pass and found Albert Feixas streaking toward the goal and he re-directed the pass with head into the goal for a 2-1 WPU lead.

C-SC didn't fold and the hosts answered with a tying goal in the 39th minute when Tim Mathys one-timed a rebound past the Statesmen goalkeeper to tie the game.

The Statesmen held a 23-7 edge in shots, including a 14-2 advantage in the second half. WPU also recorded eight corner kicks while the Wildcats managed just one corner kick. Five of the eight Statesmen corner kicks came in the second half.

Fischbach faced 13 shots on frame and made eight saves in the game. 

The Wildcats are slated to play their final home game of 2024 this Friday, Oct. 25, against defending NAIA national champion MidAmerica Nazarene. C-SC will celebrate homecoming and senior night Friday. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m.