Resurgent Pitt beats Penn State, 3-2 in OT thriller

From University of Pittsburgh and Penn State athletic department reports

While many of us were locked into the drama of watching the U.S. men’s soccer team falter in its bid to clinch a World Cup berth on Tuesday night, Jay Vidovich and his Pitt Panthers men’s soccer team disposed of yet another long-time school rival — Penn State, 3-2, in an overtime thriller Tuesday night at Ambrose Urbanic Field.

With the win, Pitt improves to 7-6-0 on the year while Penn State drops to 2-8-2 overall.

In the past 10 days, in only the second season under Vidovich’s guidance, Pitt now has claimed victories over Penn State, West Virginia and Syracuse.

Talk about getting on the good side of Pitt’s fan base.

The Panthers reach the seven-win mark for the first time since the 2008 season when they finished 7-8-2 overall.

 The win snapped Penn State’s nine-game win-streak in the series. Pitt’s last win over the Nittany Lions came in 1978 in which the Panthers captured a 2-0 victory in Pittsburgh.

Freshmen Marcony Pimentel and Alexander Dexter netted the first two goals for Pitt in regulation, while junior Javi Perez sent in the golden goal in the 99^th minute.

The Panthers got on the board first in the 30^th minute thanks to Pimentel. The Brazilian netted his first collegiate goal from the left side of the box sending it right over the left shoulder of the Penn State goalie.

 The Nittany Lions found the equalizer in the 38^th minute.

Pitt responded in the 76^th minute, junior Tom Moxham sent a long ball into the box that found the foot of freshman Edward Kizza who tapped it to Dexter in the middle of the box for his fourth goal of the season.

Penn State tied things up again in the 90^th minute to send the game into overtime.

ROLL THE HIGHLIGHTS!????#H2P pic.twitter.com/gXZH4SPj1t

— Pitt Men's Soccer (@Pitt_MSOC) October 11, 2017

Perez sealed the deal in overtime in the 99^th minute, thanks to a pass from Pimentel from the right side into the box.

The Panthers resume action Friday, Oct. 13 when they travel to take on yet another long-standing rival — and a conference opponent — No. 7 Notre Dame for a 7 p.m. ACC match-up.