Deer Lakes grad Jesse Greyshock anchors Grove City defense in goal as Wolverines chase elusive title

In the past six seasons, five teams have won the Presidents’ Athletic Conference men’s soccer championship. Grove City isn’t one of them, even though the Wolverines have been preseason favorites multiple times in that stretch.

Grove City (11-5, 9-0 PAC) was picked as the favorite again this season, but, this time, coach Mike Dreves and his charges are aiming to fulfill that prediction.

“We hope to be there at the end, but we just have to continue to improve,” said Dreves, in his 15th season as GCC’s coach. “We were in the semifinals the past four seasons, and we do not have a conference championship.”

In their quest to get to the top of the hill, the Wolverines have one of the most important pieces in place: the keeper. Deer Lakes grad Jesse Greyshock, a senior, became GCC’s primary keeper this season after splitting time with Luke Greenway last season. Greenway is the program’s all-time leader in keeper victories.

Typically last season, Dreves said, Greenway would play one half, and Greyshock would play the other.

“It’s pretty unorthodox,” the coach said, “but it was pretty effective last year, and I felt it created some competition and they both pushed each other really well.”

Greyshock’s growth from that competition is evident in the numbers. Through Saturday’s 3-0 win over Saint Vincent, Greyshock had given up only 12 goals in 15 matches and compiled a .800 save percentage and 0.81 goals-against average. Last season, his GAA was nearly double (1.52), and his save percentage was 70 points lower.

He has eight clean sheets this season, including five in a six-game stretch — all in PAC matches.

Greyshock is quick to credit the defense for helping his performance.

“If you look at the numbers, the most saves I’ve probably had in a game is like five or six,” he said. “Compared to the other teams we’re playing, that’s far below other teams’ number of saves. That’s all a credit to (the defense). They’re not even letting the shots come to me.

“It makes me feel more confident when I’ve got people who are also confident in front of me.”

But, to be sure, Greyshock has done his part. Dreves recalled the second match of the season, against Lancaster Bible, when his keeper was being bombarded by free kicks and set pieces. Greyshock stood tall and saved all five shots to lead Grove City to a 1-0 win.

“Probably one of every three goals is scored on a set piece, so you have to be able to defend corner kicks and set pieces,” Dreves said. “And I think the back four have done a really good job, and Jesse is a big part of that, too.

“He’s real good with his feet. We can play a ball back to him, and he’s not uncomfortable with it. … And I think he’s a good shot-stopper, and he’s aggressive in the air.”

Greyshock said being a good keeper goes beyond the physical. He also acts as the de facto quarterback of the defense. With a panorama of the entire field, he is charged with helping his defenders get to the right spots.

Especially on those dangerous set pieces.

“The biggest thing is addressing where everyone is,” he said. “You don’t want to leave a guy unmarked on the back post or anywhere on the field. If it’s a closer (free kick), building the wall, getting people in front of the ball to block the shot. Or, if it’s (a free kick) further back, just making sure everyone is on their man.”

Of course, Greyshock would like nothing more than to see his Wolverines break that title jinx. The team has built up steam heading into the postseason, and Greyshock is determined to keep it flowing.

“My whole mindset is just not to let the momentum slide,” he said. “Definitely in past years, we started off really strong. We’ve looked really good, but we’ve tailed off at the end.”