FINAL: Pitt 3, N.C. State 0

Photo courtesy Pitt Athletics

ACC Men’s Soccer

FINAL: No. 10 Pitt 3, NC State 0

Match Stats

Match Report 

From University of Pittsburgh Athletic Department report 

Pitt men’s soccer program improved to 5-1-0 overall and 2-0-0 in the ACC with a 3-0 win over NC State Friday evening at Ambrose Urbanic Field. Grad transfer Josh Luchini recorded a brace and Lucas Rosa added three points (1G, 1A)  to the lead the offense as Jay Vidovich became the first ACC Men’s Soccer head coach to reach the 100-win plateau in league play.

Vidovich now owns a 100-76-26 mark in ACC action, including a 16-3-1 ledger at Pitt over the past three seasons.

The opening half was a possession battle with Pitt controlling play and generating a handful of dangerous scoring chances. The Panthers recorded a 9-2 advantage in shots in the opening 45 minutes of action, including a laser off the right foot of Filip Mirkovic that banged off the crossbar before being cleared out of the box in the 37^th minute.

Pitt got on the board less than two minutes into the second half off a free kick just outside the right edge of the box. Bertin Jacquesson drew with some quick footwork on the outside and Mirkovic dropped a precision pass over the Wolfpack defense to the back post where Luchini headed home his first goal as a Panther.

van der Sar made a nice diving stop in the 52^nd minute to deflect a low cross out of the box to preserve the Panthers 1-0 lead.

Pitt continued to press the goal and nearly double their lead in the 57^th minute as Rosa fed Valentin Noel at the top of the box. A deft touch by Noel put him in on the NC State keeper, but Lucas Haisios made a terrific diving stab to stop the attack.

Luchini struck again off a header at the 68:58 mark to push the lead to 2-0. Rosa slid into the attack from his right back position and worked the end line before placing a looping cross on Luchini, who popped it over the keeper and a back post defender from 10-yards out on the left wing. Mirkovic also collected an assist on Luchini’s second of the night.

van der Sar preserved the clean sheet with a kick save off a skipping shot from the top of the box in the 73^rd minute. The Wolfpack earned a corner on the ensuing aerial battle before the Pitt defense cleared possession back into the offensive attack.

The Panthers continued to press for another goal as Ideal Shefqueti ripped a shot from 12-yards out that was poked away by the Wolfpack keeper in the 81^st minute. Two minutes later, Michael Sullivan foced another diving stop by the keeper from just inside the top of the box.

Rosa continued his outstanding night with his second goal of the season off a free kick at the 84:40 mark. After Sullivan earned a foul at the top of the box, Rosa slipped a diving free kick over the wall and off the inside left post to give Pitt the 3-0 lead and eventual home ACC win.

The Panthers finished the night owning the 17-4 edge in shots while the Wolfpack held the slim 7-5 lead in corner kicks in the loss.

Pitt returns home Monday, Sept. 19 as they welcome #14 Akron to Ambrose Urbanic Field for a non-conference showdown. First kick Monday is set for 7:00 pm and the match will air live on ACC Network Extra.

NOTES

*** With the home win, Pitt improves to 28-3-1 (.891) at Ambrose Urbanic Field over the past three seasons. The .891 winning percentage at home marks the best in the ACC over the span.

*** Pitt improves to 2-0 in ACC play for just the second time in program history.

*** With the win, Pitt has now won three straight against NC State and own a 4-3-1 record against the Wolfpack all-time.

*** van der Sar made one save as he secured his third straight cleansheet for the Panthers. He extends his scoreless streak to 334 consecutive minutes as he hasn’t allowed a goal since the first half of the Marshall game on Sept. 2.

*** Pittsburgh native Josh Luchini netted the first two goals of his Pitt career in the win. The four-point night marked the best of his career as a Panther.

*** Rosa finished his night with a goal and assist for three points. It marks his first three-point game as a Panther.

*** Mirkovic collected his first multi-assist game of his career as he netted two helpers in the win.

Updates

FINAL:  Pitt 3, NC State 0

Panthers explode for three 2nd half goals, with local product Josh Luchini delivering the brace. Lucas Rosa had a goal and an assist. Pitt now 2-0 in ACC (5-1-0 overall).

Pitt adds another goal.

Lucas Rosa with a brilliant bending shot on free kick attempt that tricks up NC St. keeper Lucas Hatsios and somehow slices through the wall.

Goal set up by @Msullivan_09 drawing a foul on edge of box.

Panthers lead NC St, 3-0

82'@ACCMSoccer

— John Krysinsky (@JohnKrysinsky) September 17, 2022

It's a Josh Luchini brace!

Rosa's cross from deep on right end line ends up past far post, but somehow, Luchini's looping header goes over everyone and into rlght side of goal.

Pitt leads NC St. 2-0

69' @ACCMSoccer

— John Krysinsky (@JohnKrysinsky) September 17, 2022

What a great way for @Pitt_MSOC to start the second half vs NC State — it's the local kid Josh Luchini with a great nose for the goal hits one home after corner kick.

Luchini's first goal as a Panther.

Pitt now leads NC St. 1-0 at Ambrose Urbanic Field@ACCMS

— John Krysinsky (@JohnKrysinsky) September 17, 2022

HALF – PITT 0, NC ST 0

37' | Filip Mirkovic just inches from scoring the first goal of the match as his rip from top of the box rings off the cross bar.

Scoreless here at Ambrose.#H2P pic.twitter.com/aqhMgt1D9W

— Pitt Men's Soccer (@Pitt_MSOC) September 16, 2022

Preview 

Pitt men’s soccer team returns home Friday night as they play host to NC Statein an Atlantic Coast Conference clash at Ambrose Urbanic Field. First kick is set for 7:00 pm and the match will air live on ACC Network Extra with Kevin Wheeler (play-by-play) and David Day (color) on the call.

PSN Pitt Coverage

FINAL: Pitt 1, North Carolina 0

Game Notes 

THE SERIES – NC STATE

• This meeting marks the eighth all-time between the two programs with the series being deadlocked, 3-3-1.
• The Panthers have won two straight in the series including a 2-1 double overtime win at Ambrose Urbanic Field in 2019 in the last meeting.
• Pitt is 3-1-1 all-time against the Wolfpack in games played in Pittsburgh.
• The first meeting between the two teams came in 1955, a game NC State won 2-1 in Pittsburgh.

SCOUTING THE WOLFPACK

• NC State enters Friday’s match with a 2-2-1 overall record as they have dropped two straight. The Wolfpack fell 2-0 in their ACC opener at Wake Forest Friday night and 1-0 at home Tuesday night against James Madison.
• NC State is led offensively by graduate student Conor Kelly who ranks third in the ACC with five goals and 10 points on the year. He has also racked up a team-high 10 shots and two game-winning goals in five games.
• Junior Nare and Calem Tommy have each netted one goal and one assist while Luke Hille leads the squad with two assists so far this season.
• In goal, NC State has used two goalkeepers as Lucas Hatsios has a 1-1-1 overall record and a 1.00 goals-against average while Windham Ellis is 1-1-0 with a 0.50 goals-against average in his two starts.

JACKSON GILMAN NAMED ACC CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

• Freshman defender Jackson Gilman has earned a starting spot on the Pitt back line and hasn’t disappointed across five games this season.
• The Schwenksville, PA helped Pitt secure back-to-back shutouts last week and he was named ACC Co-Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts.
• Gilman is the first Pitt freshman in program history to earn ACC Defensive Player of the Week honors and just the fifth overall.
• The talented defender has helped the Panthers hold their opponents scoreless in the last 244 minutes. Across the last two and a half matches, the Pitt defense has allowed just four shots on goal.
• He finished the 2-0 week for the Panthers recording five shots, three on goal.
• Gilman is the second Pitt player to earn an ACC weekly honor this season joining Bertin Jacquesson (Offensive POTW).

LET ME ASSIST YOU

• A major strength of the Panthers over the past couple seasons has been the way they distribute the ball.
• So far this season, Pitt has 12 assists on 12 goals. The 12 total assists is currently tied for 29th in the NCAA while their 2.40 assists per game is tied for 27th in the NCAA.
• Last season, Pitt led the NCAA in assists (63) and assists per game (3.15), both of which marked program records.
• Over the last three seasons, Pitt leads the NCAA in total assists with 119 helpers.

NCAA Total Assist Leaders (Last 3 Seasons)
1. Pitt 119
2. Wake Forest 105
3. Campbell 99
4. Clemson 97
5. Washington 94

LED BY ONE OF THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY

• The Panthers have become one of the most respected and successful programs in the country over the last couple years thanks to head coach Jay Vidovich and his staff.
• He has posted a career coaching record of 333-172-58 (.643). His 333 career coaching wins are 13th among active D1 head coaches.
• Vidovich’s next ACC win will be a historic one as it will be his 100th career ACC regular season victory. He will be the first coach in ACC history to achieve 100 career conference wins. He currently owns a 99-76-26 (.557) record in ACC matches.
• Vidovich is one of the most decorated coaches in the NCAA as he earned one national title (2007, Wake Forest) while also earning two NSCAA National Coach of the Year awards (2007, 2008) and seven ACC Coach of the Year awards (2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2020, 2021).

UP NEXT

• No. 10 Pitt returns home Monday, Sept. 19 as they welcome No. 14 Akron for a non-conference battle at Ambrose Urbanic Field.
• Monday’s match will kick at 7:00 pm and air live on ACC Network Extra.