Men's Soccer: WVU Earns Spot in BIG EAST Tourney
October 22, 2005 03:59 PM | General
October 22, 2005
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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - The West Virginia University men’s soccer team secured a spot in the BIG EAST tournament with a 1-0 win over Providence on Saturday afternoon at the Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium in Morgantown, W.Va.
“It is great to solidify a spot in the BIG EAST tournament with two games left to play, but we as a team have bigger fish to fry this season,” said head coach Mike Seabolt.
For the first time since joining the conference in 1995, WVU will be competing in the BIG EAST tournament in consecutive seasons.
The Mountaineers (10-5-2, 5-3-1 BIG EAST) also capped off the day by claiming their 10th shutout of the season, breaking the record of nine set in 1989 and 1998.
WVU and the Friars (4-3-7, 2-3-4 BIG EAST) battled through sloppy playing conditions as rain fell throughout the match. After the first half West Virginia led Providence in shots 8-6, but the score remained 0-0.
Mountaineer Jarrod Smith headed in the game winner in the 59th minute for his team-leading eighth goal of the season. The Havelock, New Zealand, native was the benefactor of a beautiful ball served into the box from Matt Anstey and Pat Carroll.
WVU shut down the Friars for the rest of the match, allowing only five shots in the second half. The Mountaineers recorded four second-half shots.
Junior goalkeeper Nick Noble made four saves in 90 minutes of work for West Virginia en route to his 10th clean sheet of the season and the 24th of his career. Only former Mountaineer goalkeeper John Capon has earned more career shutouts than Noble as he had 28 from 1978-81.
Providence goalkeeper Chris Konopka made two saves and allowed the lone Mountaineer goal in the match.
WVU is now 7-1-1 at home in 2005. The team’s 10-wins marks only the 14th time in school history that a West Virginia team has recorded double-digit wins in a season in the program’s 45-year history. With last season’s 12-7-1 mark the Mountaineers have record back-to-back double-digit win seasons for only the fifth time in school history.
West Virginia returns to action on Wednesday, October 26, when it hosts Connecticut at the Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium in Morgantown, W.Va. Kickoff is 7 p.m.
