Dan Pinto's second two-goal game of the season helped the Misericordia University men's soccer team to a 2-0 victory over Keystone, Monday night at Mangelsdorf Field.

Pinto scored twice in a 2-1 victory over Susquehanna two weeks ago and his two first half strikes were the difference against a Giants team that was pinned back for large portions of the game but stayed competitive thanks to an excellent performance by goalkeeper Dan O'Rourke (9 saves).

MU took the lead in the fifth minute off a short corner. Sophomore Andy Bush beat his man along the endline and crossed to the middle where Pinto was waiting to smash it home from close range.

Misericordia nearly scored on another corner less than 10 minutes later. After the ball was partially cleared to the top of the box, Chris Hummel ripped a low shot inches wide of the right post.

Later in the first half, Bryan Kulbacki, Matt Scott and Josh Pfahl all had shots that resulted in nice diving stops from O'Rourke.

But the Keystone keeper couldn't keep out Pinto's second goal, which came after senior Jay-P Evans threaded a through ball up the middle to the streaking midfielder, who slotted it home.

Pinto had two fantastic chances to grab a hat trick in the second half. First, Bush was in on a breakaway but passed up his chance to slide the ball to his teammate, who somehow knocked it wide of the post. Ten minutes later, Pinto again shot inches wide after some great work by Pfahl.

Bush was through again in the 70th minute and dribbled the goalkeeper, only for O'Rourke to make an outstanding second-effort save.

Pinto was still pressing forward and in the 82nd minute he hit an audacious 25-yard attempt from the right side that was, yet again, inches wide of the far post.

Sophomore Mason Astaneh made two saves to pick up another shutout as the Cougars clinched their fourth consecutive victory.

The Cougars improve to 5-2 on the season and will host another local rival, Scranton, on Wednesday night.

Game Highlights: