Men's Soccer: WVU Ties Pitt in 2OT Thriller
October 22, 2003 12:09 AM | General
October 21, 2003
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - The West Virginia University men’s soccer team came back from two goals down in the second half against Pitt on Tuesday, Oct. 21, in a memorable soccer version of the Backyard Brawl.
The Panthers jumped out to an early lead as Thomas DeCato collected a loose ball that rebounded off of WVU goalkeeper Nick Noble in the fifth minute. DeCato grabbed the ball and chipped it past Noble.
WVU’s Devon McTavish would knot the game up in the 29th minute when Rusty Girton sent a lob in off of a free kick from 40 yards out. McTavish worked himself free inside the box and headed it past Pitt goalkeeper Justin Lowery. Through the first half WVU outshot Pitt 12-3, forcing Lowery to make three saves.
Pitt jumped out to another lead early in the second half as Brendon Smith positioned himself to get a ball deflected off of the cross bar and headed it in to the back of the net.
The Panthers would then try to seal the game as leading goal scorer Keeyan Young dished the ball to DeCato who ripped a shot from 15 yards out past Noble. The goal marked not only DeCato’s second goal of the game but his second of the season.
In the 71st minute freshman Jarrod Smith would bring the team back within striking distance as he took a pass from Cole Beasly and fired it into the net for his sixth goal of his freshman campaign.
Until Tuesday night the Mountaineers had not recorded more than two goals in a game in 2003. That all changed when Albert Smith brought the ball down the field and passed it off to McTavish. McTavish drove a perfectly placed shot into the goal, tying the game for the second time on the night.
Both teams would have chances in the two overtimes, but none more promising as with only four minutes remaining in the second OT. A ball was sent across the goalmouth to a wide-open McTavish who was in position to score the game-winning goal. However, Lowery dove to his right and was just able to get enough of his hand on the ball to stop its forward movement off of McTavish’s foot.
Tensions ran high throughout the 3-3 draw, however, finally boiled over in the second overtime when players from both sides got into an on-field scuffle. In all, the match saw two yellow cards for the Mountaineers, three for Pitt, and two WVU ejections, Pitt having one player sent off.
The Mountaineers return to action on Saturday, Oct. 25 when they face Rutgers on the road. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
Scoring Summary: UP- T. DeCato (4:56); WVU-D. McTavish (28:07) R. Girton; UP-B. Smith (50:22); UP- T. DeCato (57:43) K. Young; WVU- J. Smith (70:03) C. Beasley; WVU- D. McTavish (72:46) A. Smith
Shots: WVU-24; UP- 15
Corners: WVU- 7; UP- 5
Fouls: WVU-17; UP- 23
Goalkeeping: WVU- Nick Noble, 3 GA 3 saves 110:00 minutes; UP- Justin Lowery, 3 GA 5 saves 110:00 minutes
