Men's Soccer: WVU Blanks Providence
November 03, 2007 10:17 PM | General
November 3, 2007
BOX SCORE
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University men’s soccer team blanked Providence 3-0 tonight at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium to close the 2007 regular season. With the win, the Mountaineers have finished third in the BIG EAST Blue Division and hold a 12-5-1 overall record, 7-3-1 in conference play.
WVU scored in the first half, for just the third time this season, when senior Andy Wright scored his fifth goal of the season off of a direct kick by Dan Stratford. Stratford’s shot was batted out by the Providence goalie, when Wright volleyed a solid shot into an open net to give the Mountaineers a 1-0 lead at the half.
Sophomore Jason Bristol scored off of a header in the second half to give the Mountaineers a 2-0 lead at the 60 minute mark. Stratford kicked a high arching corner kick past the right post which was hooked in by Wright. Bristol battled PC’s defenders to get a head on the ball to net his second goal of the season.
With just five minutes remaining in the match, Paradise scored his third goal of the season to put the game away. The freshmen broke through PC’s defenders, completing a 180 with the ball and shot a laser from 28 yards, skimming the top left corner of the net.
Stratford continued his record-setting ways with two assists on the night. The midfielder is WVU’s all-time career assist leader with 26, ten more than the previous record set back in 1968.
Freshman goalkeeper Zach Johnson earned his 11th shutout of the season, tying him with Nick Noble for second place in the record book on shutouts in a single season. The defense only allowed PC just four shots and six corner kicks.
West Virginia will host Villanova in the first round of the BIG EAST tournament on Wednesday, Nov. 7. Game time is set for 7 p.m. Last season, the Mountaineers advanced to the BIG EAST championship game, but fell to St. John’s 1-0.
