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Final: No. 1 Pitt 4, Louisville 1

ACC Men’s Soccer

FINAL Pitt 4, Louisville 1

GAME STATS 

Match Summary

The number-one ranked Pitt men’s soccer team defeated Louisville, 4-1, at Dr. Mark and Cindy Lynn Stadium Friday afternoon to improve to 5-0 overall and 4-0 in conference play.

Washington scored the first goal of the contest in the ninth minute, heading a corner kick from sophomore Veljko Petkovic to the left post for the score. The goal was Washington’s first of the season and third as a Panther. The under 10-minute goal was the third-straight contest the Panthers have scored less than 10 minutes into the game.

Mirkovic tallied the first points of his career in the 42nd minute, ripping a low shot from 20-yards out into the back right side of the net. Petkovic found Mirkovic for the score, his third assist of the season and second career multi-assist game of his career.

The game was halted immediately after Mirkovic’s goal due to inclement weather in the surrounding Louisville area. The weather delay lasted near an hour and 15 minutes.

Louisville (1-4-1) cut the Pitt lead to one (2-1), courtesy of Elijah Amo in the 50th minute. Amo took a long ball from Bradley Sample and dribbled 30 yards before connecting with the upper right part of the net.

In the 63rd minute, graduate student Jasper Löeffelsend found open space and sprinted down the right sideline. The Cologne, Germany, native sent a cross to the far post to Noel, who headed it from left to right to the right side of the net for a score. The assist from Löeffelsend was the fifth of the season for the defender and the Panthers extended their lead 3-1.

At the 69:06 mark of the game, Greensburg, Pa., native and Greensburg Central Catholic alum Luke Mort gathered a loose ball at the top of the 18-yard box. Mort created space and hit the upper right-hand corner with his left foot for his first career goal, giving Pitt its fourth goal of the game (4-1).

The Panthers outshot the Cardinals, 12-4, including 6-1 in the second half. Pitt also finished the game with an 8-1 advantage in corner kicks.

Pitt heads back home for the final two regular season fall games of the season. The Panthers next host Notre Dame Friday, Oct. 30 at 6 PM on the ACC Network.

News & Notes

  • The 5-0 overall start for the Panthers is the best start to a season since Pitt began the 2002 season 5-0.
  • The 4-0 record in the conference is now tied for most ACC wins in a season. Pitt went 4-3-1 in league play last year.
  • The win marked the first victory over Louisville in program history. The Panthers entered the contest 0-5 overall, dating back to 2006. Pitt’s four goals against the Cardinals doubled the total amount they had in the series entering today.
  • Four different Panthers scored, including freshman Filip Mirkovic and redshirt freshman Luke Mort, who each recorded their first collegiate goals. Senior Bryce Washington tallied his first goal of the season and third of his career, while sophomore Valentin Noel scored his fifth of the year.
  • Noel becomes the first Panther since senior Alexander Dexter (2017) to score a goal in three consecutive games. A goal against Notre Dame next weekend would make him the first player in school history to score a goal in four-straight contests.

Gameday Updates

FINAL – PITT 4, LOUISVILLE 1

Another victory — and the number one ranked Pitt Panthers remain unbeaten (5-0 overall, 4-0 in ACC)

70′ |  GOAL – PITT 4, UofL 1 – Luke Mort scores for Pitt!! The former Greensburg Central Catholic standout scores his first-ever goal for the Panthers in the 70th minute.

64′ | GOAL – PITT 3, UofL 1 – Valentin Noel with a beauty!! The Frenchman heads the ball in off a cross from Jasper Loeffelsend and extends Pitt’s lead, 3-1, over Louisville.

50′ | Louisville cuts the Panther lead to one with a goal in the 50th minute. No. 1 Pitt leads, 2-1, early in the second half.

WEATHER DELAY | 42′

 

42′ |  GOAL! PITT 2, UofL 0 — Filip Mirkovic doubles the Panthers’ lead.

8′ |  GOAL! PITT 1, UofL 0 — Pitt takes the lead!

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The top-ranked Panthers look to stay undefeated when visiting Louisville on Friday. The game, originally scheduled for 7 p.m. start, has been moved up to 1 p.m. due to incoming, inclement weather to the Louisville metro area.

This already has been a monumental week for the Panthers, as they achieved their first-ever top-ranking in the United Soccer Coaches poll released on Tuesday. This came after a 2-1, overtime win at Virginia on Sunday evening.

Number One! Pitt ascends to the top of United Soccer Coaches poll for first time in program history

FINAL: Pitt 3, UVA 2 (OT)

Pitt Athletic Department Game Notes: 

THE SERIES

–          Louisville leads the all-time series 5-0.

–          The Cardinals first victory came in 2006, a 2-1 victory at home. The most recent victory was a 2-1 win at Ambrose Urbanic Field Sept. 21, 2018.

SCOUTING THE CARDINALS

–          Louisville enters the contest 1-3-1 overall and 1-1-1 in ACC play.

–          The Cardinals recently tied with Syracuse, 2-2, on Friday, Oct. 16. Their lone win came at home against Notre Dame on Oct. 3, winning 2-1.

–          Junior forward Pedro Fonseca leads Louisville in goals and is tied for second in the ACC with three scores. His seven points and nine shots are also a team-high.

–          Redshirt senior goalkeeper Jake Gelnovatch has recorded 10 saves in 379 minutes, compiling a 1-2 record between the pipes.

–          The Cardinals are second in the ACC in corner kicks with 27 and fourth in the league in shots recorded with 43.

–          Louisville is tied for second in the North Region with four points, sitting side by side with Virginia.

PANTHERS OUTLAST VIRGINIA IN OT

–          Sophomore Arturo Ordoñez headed in the game-winning goal in the 93rd minute against No. 5 Virginia, giving Pitt the 3-2 victory and its second top-five victory of the season.

–          Sophomore Valentin Noel scored twice, both in the first half against the Cavaliers. Ordoñez, along with classmate Raphaël Crivello and graduate student Jasper Löeffelsend, each tallied an assist.

–          The victory was the third straight at Klockner Stadium, dating back to 2018. It was also the third-straight victory over a ranked Cavaliers team.

A MILESTONE SEASON

–          This year has been a milestone season for Pitt, setting new program highs and making school history.

–          The Panthers earned a ranking of number one in the country on Oct. 20 for the first time in program history. Men’s soccer joins football and men’s basketball as the only Pitt athletics teams to earn the No. 1 spot in their respective polls.

–          Pitt’s 4-0 overall record is the best start to a season since 2010. The 3-0 ACC mark is the best in school history.

–          The Panthers began the year 2-0 on the road for the first time since 2002.

PITT RANKED NO. 1 FOR FIRST TIME

–          The Panthers earned the top spot in the most recent United Soccer Coaches Poll on Oct. 20, the first number one ranking in program history.

–          The No. 1 spot is the third time in Pitt Athletics history a team has been number one in the land, joining football and men’s basketball.

–          It is the first time a Pitt program has been number one since men’s basketball owned the number one spot in the AP and USA Today poll on February 23, 2009.

THE FIRST NOEL

–          Sophomore midfielder Valentin Noel has led the offense the past two games and leads the nation in multiple categories.

–          The Niort, France, native is first in the country in goals per game (1.33), points per game (3.00), shot accuracy (.778) and is second in total goals with four.

–          Noel has scored twice in each of his last two games. The two goal games were the first and second mult-score games of his career. He has already surpassed his goal total of three from 2019.

JACQUESSON MAKING STATEMENT EARLY

–          Freshman Bertin Jacquesson has made an immediate impact for the Panthers since game one, totaling nine points including two goals and five assists.

–          The Frenchman has totaled three points in each of his first three games, with highlighted moments including a goal at both Notre Dame and Syracuse and three assists at home vs. Virginia Tech.

–          Jacquesson ranks number one in the country in assists per game (1.25), game-winning goals (2) and total assists (5).

NOEL NAMED ACC CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

–          For his two goal performance at No. 5 Virginia, sophomore Valentin Noel was recognized by the ACC as Co-Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 19.

–          Noel joins teammates Bertin Jacquesson, Arturo Ordoñez and Veljko Petkovic on being named ACC Player of the Week. Both Jacquesson and Ordoñez were named Co-Offensive and Defensive players, respectively, on Sept. 28, while Petkovic was named Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 12.

NOEL, ORDOÑEZ EARN TOPDRAWERSOCCER HONORS

–          Both sophomores Valentin Noel and Arturo Ordoñez were tabbed TopDrawerSoccer Team of the Week for their performances at No. 5 Virginia.

–          Noel’s two goal performance – both in the first half – and Ordoñez’s game-winning header aided Pitt’s top-five victory over the Cavaliers.

UP NEXT

–          The Panthers return home Friday, Oct. 30 for a 6 PM ACC Network showdown against Notre Dame.

–          Following Notre Dame, Pitt concludes the fall regular season against Syracuse Friday, Nov. 6 at home at 6 PM on the ACC Network.

–          The ACC Men’s Soccer Tournament begins Sunday, Nov. 15 and runs through Sunday, Nov. 22. -The top four teams from each region advance to the tournament.

–          The quarterfinals and semi-finals will be held at participating host schools, including Duke, UNC, NC State and Wake Forest. The championship game will take place at WakeMed Park in Cary, N.C.

Related Topics

John Krysinsky has covered soccer and other sports for many years for various publications and media outlets. He is also author of 'Miracle on the Mon' -- a book about the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, which chronicles the club, particularly the early years of Highmark Stadium with the narrative leading up to and centered around a remarkable match that helped provide a spark for the franchise. John has covered sports for Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, DK Pittsburgh Sports, Pittsburgh Sports Report, has served as color commentator on Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC broadcasts, and worked with OPTA Stats and broadcast teams for US Open Cup and International Champions Cup matches held in the US. Krysinsky also served as the Head Men’s Soccer Coach at his alma mater, Point Park University, where he led the Pioneers to the first-ever winning seasons and playoff berths (1996-98); head coach of North Catholic boys (2007-08), associate head coach of Shady Side Academy boys (2009-2014).

Glory on the Grass

Riverhounds MF Kenardo Forbes

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