FINAL: Pitt 3, Delaware 3, 2OT

Sito Sena scored two goals for the Panthers in its 3-3 draw vs Delaware on Monday (photo courtesy Pitt athletics)

Pitt 3, Delaware 3

Ambrose Urbanic Field, Pittsburgh, PA

LIVE STATS

GAME SUMMARY

Pitt’s men’s soccer team played to a 3-3 draw against Delaware Friday night at Ambrose Urbanic Field.

Following an early goal by Delaware, the Panthers scored three unanswered to jump out to a 3-1 advantage, but a second half rally by the Blue Hens led to the eventual 3-3 draw.

“It was gut wrenching, to be honest with you,” said head coach Jay Vidovich. “But hats off to Delaware, it was a tremendous comeback from them to tie it up. We just shot ourselves in the foot too many times.”

The Blue Hens opened the scoring in the third minute via a penalty kick goal, taking a 1-0 lead. Pitt then answered with two scores of its own in the first half, with junior Sito Sena collecting two PK goals to send the Panthers into halftime with a 2-1 advantage. At the break, Pitt led Delaware 7-4 in shots while both teams had one corner apiece.

Pitt looked to be pulling away in the start of the second half, with a goal from junior Edward Kizza via assists from Sena and sophomore Rodrigo Almeida giving the Panthers a 3-1 lead in the 53rd minute. But, the Blue Hens would answer back with two goals of their own to even the match. Delaware made it 3-2 in the 66th minute after collecting their second PK from Timo Hummich. In the 80th minute, a Blue Hen player collided with sophomore goalkeeper Alexander Steinbach while both players went for the ball near the top of the box, leading to a wide open goal for by Ryan Mertz, former Upper St. Clair standout which sent the match into extra time.

Pitt outshot Delaware 2-0 in the first overtime period, but was unable to find the back of the net, sending the game into a second overtime period.

The Blue Hens again went shot-less in the second overtime period, but some great defensive play by their goalkeeper led to the eventual tie. Pitt had its best opportunity to win it in the 107th minute, with Sena getting a third PK opportunity, Delaware’s keeper made a great read to come up with the save and hold on to the 3-3 tie.

Sena closed out the contest with a team-high seven shots, while Kizza followed behind with four. Freshman Veljko Petkovic collected three shots on the night, with freshmen Josh Hesson and Arturo Ordonez adding two apiece. Juniors Matt Bailey and Alexander Dexter, along with Almeida, each recorded one shot apiece in the matchup.

In goal, Steinbach allowed three goals while collecting one save in close to 80 minutes of action before exiting the contest following his second-half collision. Redshirt junior Arie Ammann closed out the match, collecting one save in 30 minutes of action.

Up next, the Panthers will open ACC play with a home match against Wake Forest 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13 at Ambrose Urbanic Field.

 

 

MATCHDAY 

FINAL | The Panthers and Blue Hens play to a draw.

107′ | The Panthers get a penalty kick opportunity following a foul in the box, but Delaware’s keeper comes up with the clutch save.

Teams have gone to OT!

80′ | GOAL – Delaware ties it!

Following contact in the box, Steinbach goes down, leading to a goal for Delaware.

66′ | GOAL – Delaware – Pitt still leads, 3-2

The Blue Hens cut into Pitt’s lead with a penalty kick goal. Pitt GK Steinbach makes a great read to get a hand on it, but can’t quite make the save.

53′ | GOOOAAALLLL!!! Kizza sends in his team-high fourth goal of the season to extend Pitt’s lead!

HALF – PITT leads 2-1

31′ | GOAL – PITT 2-1

Sena collects his second goal of the match off yet another penalty kick!

22′ | GOAL – PITT 1-1

Sena scores the equalizer off a penalty kick following a foul in the box!

3′ | GOAL – DEL 1-0

Delaware gets on the board first, scoring off a penalty kick following a hand ball in the box.

7:07 p.m. – 1′ | They’re underway at Ambrose Urbanic Field!

Pitt’s starters:

Battle with the Blue Hens. 🔜#H2P pic.twitter.com/sC5UqfT006

— Pitt Men's Soccer (@Pitt_MSOC) September 9, 2019

Come check out Century alum @ryanmertz10 as he comes back to the 412 to face off against @Pitt_MSOC! #RepCentury https://t.co/LijHmhF6tj

— Century Soccer (@CenturyV_FC) September 9, 2019

LAST TIME OUT

·       Pitt earned a 3-0 victory over Liberty in its home opener Friday, Sept. 6 at Ambrose Urbanic Field.

·       The Panthers opened the scoring quickly, with junior Edward Kizza heading in a cross from junior Matt Bailey in the third minute to give Pitt the early 1-0 lead. Goals from freshman Veljko Petkovic in the 31st minute and freshman Josh Hesson in the 82nd minute would then lead to the 3-0 win.

·       Hesson closed the match with a team-high five shots, while Bailey added four. Kizza and Petkovic each collected three shots, with redshirt sophomore Chad Stout and sophomore Rodrigo Almeida both recording two in the contest. Senior Braden Kline, junior Alexander Dexter and redshirt sophomore Tim Townsend each added a shot apiece in the matchup.

·       In goal, sophomore keeper Alexander Steinbach recorded the clean sheet while collecting one save in 90 minutes of action.

SYNOPSIS OF THE SQUAD

·       Pitt returns 14 players from a season ago in senior Alex Peperak, juniors Alexander Dexter, Edward Kizza and Sito Sena, redshirt sophomores Chad Stout and Tim Townsend, sophomores Rodrigo Almeida, Johan Penaranda, Nyk Sessock, Alexander Steinbach, Chandler Vaughn and Jackson Walti and redshirt freshmen Anthony Harding and Alec Townsend.

·       Both Kizza and Vaughn earned numerous accolades following the conclusion of the 2018 season, with Kizza being selected to the All-ACC First Team and All-Region Second Team and Vaughn being voted to the ACC All-Freshman Team, while both players earned All-ACC Academic Team honors.

·       The Panthers also welcome 12 newcomers in senior Braden Kline, redshirt juniors Arie Ammann and Tim Ekpone, juniors Matt Bailey and Bryce Washington and freshmen Lucas Cyriacus, Josh Hesson, Luke Mort, Valentin Noel, Arturo Ordonez, Veljko Petkovic and Sebastian Serpa.

·       The team’s four transfer additions come from Penn State (Ammann), Providence (Kline), Rutgers (Washington) and UMBC (Bailey). Ekpone, who competed for the Panthers in 2017, will be rejoining the team for its 2019 campaign.

 

KIZZA COMMANDING ATTENTION

·       Junior Edward Kizza closed out his 2018 campaign tied for third in program history for single-season goals (15) while ranking fifth in points (30).

·       Kizza ranked fifth in goals nationally, ninth in shot accuracy (.622) and 11^th in points per game (1.67), while ranking first in each category among ACC players.

·       The historic season led Kizza to First Team All-ACC honors, Second Team All-Region recognition and a spot on the All-ACC Academic Team.

·       Through three games, Kizza paces the team in shots (11), shots on goal (seven), points (six) and goals (three).

·       The Kampala, Uganda, native picked up right where he left off to start the 2019 season, recording a brace against No. 2 Indiana in the squad’s season-opener Friday, Aug. 30. In the match, Kizza recorded the fastest consecutive goals in program history after scoring at the 35:24 and 35:31 mark, with the seven-second difference besting the old record of 34 seconds set by Michael Tuohy and John Cordier in 2013.

 

FRESHMEN FOCUS

·       The Panthers freshmen class has made an immediate impact through the first three games of the 2019 season.

·       Five freshmen have already seen playing time through the early stretch of the season in Lucas Cyriacus, Josh Hesson, Valentin Noel, Arturo Ordonez and Veljko Petkovic, with starts from Noel (three), Hesson (two), Petkovic (one) and Ordonez (one).

·       Two of Pitt’s five goals on the year have also been scored by freshmen, with Hesson and Petkovic recording one apiece, while junior Edward Kizza has collected the other three goals.

 

THE SERIES – DELAWARE

·       The Panthers and Blue Hens have met twice in program history, with Pitt owning a 2-0 all-time record against Delaware.

·       The two teams’ first meeting came in 2012, with Pitt collecting a 1-0 home victory over Delaware.

·       The squads also clashed last season, with the Panthers earning a 6-1 road win.

 

SCOUTING THE BLUE HENS

·       Delaware enters Monday’s contest with a 1-1 record, most recently picking up a marquee 1-0 win over No. 24 West Virginia Monday, Sept. 2.

·       The Blue Hens closed out their 2018 campaign with a 5-11-1 overall record, including a 4-3-1 mark in CAA play.

·       Delaware is coached by Ian Hennessy, who owns a 102-117-30 record during his time with the Blue Hens.

·       Through two games, junior Rex Twum owns the Blue Hens’ lone goal, while junior Ryan Mertz owns the sole assist.

·       In goal, sophomore Renan Thomazo has started both matches, collecting 10 saves while allowing five goals. 

UP NEXT

·       The Panthers will continue their homestand while opening up ACC play with a match against No. 1 Wake Forest 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 13 at Ambrose Urbanic Field.