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Merriam’s Fireworks Propel WVU to Win over PSU
October 13, 2015 10:16 PM | Men's Soccer
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (October 13 2015) – Senior Jamie Merriam scored two early goals as the West Virginia University men’s soccer team defeated Penn State, 3-0, on Tuesday evening at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
The Mountaineers (6-6) have won four of their last five. The victory over the Nittany Lions (5-5-2) was WVU’s fourth in its last six contests against PSU as coach Marlon LeBlanc won his 100th career match as a head coach.
Merriam gave West Virginia the lead early, with a goal in the 37th minute and again less than seven minutes later, at 42:40. Sophomore Joey Piatczyc netted his first career goal in the 89th minute to put the game away. Piatczyc added an assist, his nation-leading 12th of the year and tying the most in a single season in program history.
“Penn State is a good soccer team,” LeBlanc said. “We had a good gameplan tonight, we knew that Jamie and Ryan would have opportunities behind them and we got two really big goals against them on plays. Sometimes it is better to be efficient than it is good, we’ve been on the other side of that a few times this season. We defended very well, we got our second [straight] shutout. I’m awfully proud of my guys right now, that’s a very big win over a good team.”
The shutout, WVU’s fourth of the season and second in as many matches, came against 20 PSU shots and eight shots on goal. Freshman Alec Boerner earned his fourth win of the year and made five saves before junior Daniel Diaz played the second half and collected three saves.
Merriam’s two-goal game was his second of the season. He has a team-high six goals on the year, including three in the last two games and four in the last three.
The Mountaineer offense was as efficient as it could get, with seven shots and four on goal.
“The attacks that we did have go to goal were really good and really efficient, and then a little 1-2 clip for Jamie to score,” LeBlanc said. “Then even Heath [Honald] getting a little flick and then Joey battling for the finish. We scored 3 goals against a really good team, and they had a lot of opportunities on our goal but weren’t very efficient. They never really extended Alec or Danny, they were comfortable out there tonight. You’ve got to give our kids a lot of credit beating a good Penn State team 3-0 going away.”
LeBlanc’s milestone win came against his alma mater and where he earned his first victories. A 2000 PSU graduate, LeBlanc was an assistant coach at Penn State from 2001-05 and earned four wins as interim head coach in 2002. LeBlanc owns a 96-65-27 record in 10 seasons at West Virginia, four shy of hitting 100 wins with the Gold and Blue.
Tuesday, the first WVU goal came on the Mountaineers’ second shot on goal of the game. Merriam connected at 36:11 from senior Zak Leedom and Piatczyc. Off a long pass from Leedom at the center line, Merriam beat his man and sent a shot in from two yards outside the box that deflected off the keeper.
Merriam’s second goal was much like the first. Leedom found junior Mike Desiderio, who shot a long pass from beyond the center line to Merriam. Off the bounce just outside the box, Merriam chipped the ball in over the goalkeeper to put the Mountaineers ahead, 2-0 with less than three minutes until halftime.
WVU’s fourth and final shot on goal came at 88:50, and once again it found the back of the net. After a scoring chance by Penn State that sailed high, West Virginia quickly converted thanks to Piatczyc. Diaz’s goal kick was headed by Desiderio just past midfield, and Piatczyc got to the ball and beat the goaltender for his first career score.
WVU is back on the road for a Mid-American Conference matchup with Buffalo on Friday, Oct. 16. The Mountaineers look to improve on a 6-0-1 record against the Bulls, including a 2-0 mark in New York.
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