Friday, September 7
Orlando, FL
7:00 p.m.
West Virginia University
at
UCF
Photo by: Hunter Tankersley / WVU Photograph
Mountaineers Travel to UCF Friday
September 06, 2018 03:27 PM | Men's Soccer
ORLANDO, Fla. – The West Virginia University men's soccer team returns to the road and travels to Orlando, Florida, for a matchup at UCF on Friday, Sept. 7, at 7 p.m. ET.
Both West Virginia and UCF are receiving votes in this week's national rankings, the Mountaineers (2-1) in the United Soccer Coaches poll and the Knights (2-1-1) in the TopDrawerSoccer.com rankings. The matchup is a rematch of last year's 0-0, double-overtime draw in Morgantown between WVU and UCF.
Live Stream | Live Stats | Twitter
"UCF is a great team with great players," WVU coach Marlon LeBlanc said. "Tomorrow night will be a big challenge for us in a tough environment. I expect by end of year for UCF to be one of top teams in the country."
The match will be streamed live for on UCFKnights.TV, and a subscription is required. Live stats can be found at UCF.Statbroadcast.com. Direct links to the video stream and live stats can be found on the men's soccer schedule page at WVUsports.com. Additional updates, news and notes from the UCF Soccer Complex will be available on social media by following and connecting with @WVUMensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
The Mountaineers return to the pitch after a week off. WVU capped a stretch of three games in eight days to open the season with a 5-1 win in its home opener on Aug. 31. Senior midfielder Joey Piatczyc recorded three assists in the contest to break the school record for career assists, with 29. He was rewarded with Mid-American Conference Player of the Week accolades for the second consecutive week to open the year.
Friday night's contest caps a four-match homestand for the Knights, who are coming off a 2-2 draw to No. 17 Virginia Tech on Sunday.
Piatczyc leads the country with 1.33 assists per game and ranks No. 2 in the NCAA with four assists on the season. He and junior midfielder Ethan Shim lead the MAC and are No. 22 nationally with 2.00 points per game and have a conference-best six points. Shim also is No. 3 in the NCAA with a .857 shot accuracy, No. 14 with 1.00 goals per game, No. 21 with three total goals and No. 23 with 2.00 shots on goal per game, which all rank first in the MAC.
In goal, sophomore Steven Tekesky leads the league with 11 saves, 3.67 saves per game and a .846 save percentage. He is second with a 0.684 goals-against average.
SCOUTING UCF
UCF owns a 2-1-1 record and is coming off a 2-2 draw to No. 17 Virginia Tech on Sunday. The Knights began the year with a double-overtime, 2-1 win at Penn State, and own a 4-1 win over Liberty. Their lone loss was a 1-0 defeat in overtime to UC Irvine. Three of UCF's first four matches have gone to overtime.
Cal Jennings leads the team with three goals, seven points, 12 shots and nine shots on goal. Louis Perez has four points, with two assists and a goal. In goal, Yannik Oettl has played all 385 minutes and allowed five goals. He has made eight saves and owns a 1.17 goals-against average and a .615 save percentage.
Scott Calabrese is in his second season as head coach and owns a 10-7-3 record at UCF. He came to UCF from FIU, where he led the Panthers to a C-USA title and the NCAA Tournament in 2015. Calabrese owns a 95-74-23 career record.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE KNIGHTS
West Virginia is 0-1-1 all-time against UCF, with a 4-0 neutral-site loss in 1985 and a 0-0 double-overtime draw last year in Morgantown. In last year's contest, Stephen Banick made two saves to shut out the Knights. WVU out-shot UCF, 16-9, while each team had three shots on goal.
UP NEXT: MONDAY AT MARYLAND
The Mountaineers face Maryland on Monday, Sept. 10, at 7 p.m. ET, in College Park, Maryland. WVU then returns home to host St. Francis (Pa.) on Saturday, Sept. 15, at 7 p.m., at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium. Tickets are available at WVUGAME.com or by calling 1-800 WVU GAME.
LAST TIME OUT: RECORD-BREAKING WIN
Piatczyc had three assists to break the school record for career assists to lead West Virginia to a 5-1 victory over American on Aug. 31, at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
Piatczyc assisted on the first goal for the Mountaineers to tie the record for career assists in the 20th minute, and he broke the record with an assist on WVU's third goal in the 48th. He added an assist on West Virginia's fourth goal in the 72nd minute.
Piatczyc's 29 career assists breaks the record of 27, set by Dan Stratford from 2004-07. Piatczyc also owns the school record for assists per game, with 0.53, and shares the school record with four multi-assist matches, while he ranks No. 2 all-time with 11 game-winning assists.
In its home opener, WVU's offense was not limited to just Piatczyc. Shim and junior defender Pascal Derwaritsch both scored a career-high two goals. Shim notched the first goal of the night in the 20th minute, and Derwaritsch's first was the eventual game-winner on a penalty kick in the 27th minute. Senior forward Rushawn Larmond also scored for the Mountaineers, giving WVU a 3-0 lead in the 48th minute.
West Virginia out-shot the Eagles, 21-8, with a 13-4 advantage in shots on goal. WVU held a 9-3 edge in corner kicks. In goal, Tekesky made three saves for the Mountaineers, while American's Lucas Manso had eight saves.
Along with Piatczyc, junior midfielder Sebastian Garcia-Herreros and sophomore forward Tsubasa Takada recorded assists in the victory.
PIATCZYC BREAKING RECORDS
Piatczyc has 29 career assists, the most in program history. Piatczyc also owns the school record for assists per game, with 0.53, and shares the school record with four multi-assist matches, while he ranks No. 2 all-time with 11 game-winning assists. He also is tied for No. 3 with three multi-assist games and sits just outside the top 10 with 13 career game-winning points.
Piatczyc's hot start to the 2018 season came after he missed the 2017 season due to an injury. Through the first three matches, Piatczyc led the country in assists per game (1.33), ranked No. 2 in total assists (4) and paced the MAC in total points (6), points per match (2.00) and game-winning goals (1).
This season, Piatczyc was named the MAC Player of the Week and the WVU Student-Athlete of the Week in back-to-back weeks to open the year. He earned the season's first MAC honor on Aug. 28, after he had a goal and an assist to lead the Mountaineers to a 2-0 victory at the College of Charleston on Aug. 24, in the season opener. The next week, after his three-assist showing to break the WVU career assists record on Aug. 31 vs. American, Piatczyc was recognized by the MAC on Sept. 4. The MAC accolades are the first of his career.
WVU soccer scarf ticket packages and single match tickets are on sale now at WVUGAME.com or by calling 1-800 WVU GAME. The scarf ticket package includes a scarf and 10 tickets to be used at any men's or women's soccer match during the 2018 regular season. Packages are just $30 and are available while supplies last. With the exception of Dollar Nights, single match tickets are $5 each and $3 for groups of 10 or more when purchased in advance at WVUGAME.com. At the Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium ticket window, tickets will be $7 for adults, $5 for youth and seniors and $3 for groups. The discounted online pricing will be available until kickoff of the match. Tickets for WVU students are free with a valid student I.D.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUMensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Both West Virginia and UCF are receiving votes in this week's national rankings, the Mountaineers (2-1) in the United Soccer Coaches poll and the Knights (2-1-1) in the TopDrawerSoccer.com rankings. The matchup is a rematch of last year's 0-0, double-overtime draw in Morgantown between WVU and UCF.
Live Stream | Live Stats | Twitter
"UCF is a great team with great players," WVU coach Marlon LeBlanc said. "Tomorrow night will be a big challenge for us in a tough environment. I expect by end of year for UCF to be one of top teams in the country."
The match will be streamed live for on UCFKnights.TV, and a subscription is required. Live stats can be found at UCF.Statbroadcast.com. Direct links to the video stream and live stats can be found on the men's soccer schedule page at WVUsports.com. Additional updates, news and notes from the UCF Soccer Complex will be available on social media by following and connecting with @WVUMensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
The Mountaineers return to the pitch after a week off. WVU capped a stretch of three games in eight days to open the season with a 5-1 win in its home opener on Aug. 31. Senior midfielder Joey Piatczyc recorded three assists in the contest to break the school record for career assists, with 29. He was rewarded with Mid-American Conference Player of the Week accolades for the second consecutive week to open the year.
Friday night's contest caps a four-match homestand for the Knights, who are coming off a 2-2 draw to No. 17 Virginia Tech on Sunday.
Piatczyc leads the country with 1.33 assists per game and ranks No. 2 in the NCAA with four assists on the season. He and junior midfielder Ethan Shim lead the MAC and are No. 22 nationally with 2.00 points per game and have a conference-best six points. Shim also is No. 3 in the NCAA with a .857 shot accuracy, No. 14 with 1.00 goals per game, No. 21 with three total goals and No. 23 with 2.00 shots on goal per game, which all rank first in the MAC.
In goal, sophomore Steven Tekesky leads the league with 11 saves, 3.67 saves per game and a .846 save percentage. He is second with a 0.684 goals-against average.
SCOUTING UCF
UCF owns a 2-1-1 record and is coming off a 2-2 draw to No. 17 Virginia Tech on Sunday. The Knights began the year with a double-overtime, 2-1 win at Penn State, and own a 4-1 win over Liberty. Their lone loss was a 1-0 defeat in overtime to UC Irvine. Three of UCF's first four matches have gone to overtime.
Cal Jennings leads the team with three goals, seven points, 12 shots and nine shots on goal. Louis Perez has four points, with two assists and a goal. In goal, Yannik Oettl has played all 385 minutes and allowed five goals. He has made eight saves and owns a 1.17 goals-against average and a .615 save percentage.
Scott Calabrese is in his second season as head coach and owns a 10-7-3 record at UCF. He came to UCF from FIU, where he led the Panthers to a C-USA title and the NCAA Tournament in 2015. Calabrese owns a 95-74-23 career record.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE KNIGHTS
West Virginia is 0-1-1 all-time against UCF, with a 4-0 neutral-site loss in 1985 and a 0-0 double-overtime draw last year in Morgantown. In last year's contest, Stephen Banick made two saves to shut out the Knights. WVU out-shot UCF, 16-9, while each team had three shots on goal.
UP NEXT: MONDAY AT MARYLAND
The Mountaineers face Maryland on Monday, Sept. 10, at 7 p.m. ET, in College Park, Maryland. WVU then returns home to host St. Francis (Pa.) on Saturday, Sept. 15, at 7 p.m., at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium. Tickets are available at WVUGAME.com or by calling 1-800 WVU GAME.
LAST TIME OUT: RECORD-BREAKING WIN
Piatczyc had three assists to break the school record for career assists to lead West Virginia to a 5-1 victory over American on Aug. 31, at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
Piatczyc assisted on the first goal for the Mountaineers to tie the record for career assists in the 20th minute, and he broke the record with an assist on WVU's third goal in the 48th. He added an assist on West Virginia's fourth goal in the 72nd minute.
Piatczyc's 29 career assists breaks the record of 27, set by Dan Stratford from 2004-07. Piatczyc also owns the school record for assists per game, with 0.53, and shares the school record with four multi-assist matches, while he ranks No. 2 all-time with 11 game-winning assists.
In its home opener, WVU's offense was not limited to just Piatczyc. Shim and junior defender Pascal Derwaritsch both scored a career-high two goals. Shim notched the first goal of the night in the 20th minute, and Derwaritsch's first was the eventual game-winner on a penalty kick in the 27th minute. Senior forward Rushawn Larmond also scored for the Mountaineers, giving WVU a 3-0 lead in the 48th minute.
West Virginia out-shot the Eagles, 21-8, with a 13-4 advantage in shots on goal. WVU held a 9-3 edge in corner kicks. In goal, Tekesky made three saves for the Mountaineers, while American's Lucas Manso had eight saves.
Along with Piatczyc, junior midfielder Sebastian Garcia-Herreros and sophomore forward Tsubasa Takada recorded assists in the victory.
PIATCZYC BREAKING RECORDS
Piatczyc has 29 career assists, the most in program history. Piatczyc also owns the school record for assists per game, with 0.53, and shares the school record with four multi-assist matches, while he ranks No. 2 all-time with 11 game-winning assists. He also is tied for No. 3 with three multi-assist games and sits just outside the top 10 with 13 career game-winning points.
Piatczyc's hot start to the 2018 season came after he missed the 2017 season due to an injury. Through the first three matches, Piatczyc led the country in assists per game (1.33), ranked No. 2 in total assists (4) and paced the MAC in total points (6), points per match (2.00) and game-winning goals (1).
This season, Piatczyc was named the MAC Player of the Week and the WVU Student-Athlete of the Week in back-to-back weeks to open the year. He earned the season's first MAC honor on Aug. 28, after he had a goal and an assist to lead the Mountaineers to a 2-0 victory at the College of Charleston on Aug. 24, in the season opener. The next week, after his three-assist showing to break the WVU career assists record on Aug. 31 vs. American, Piatczyc was recognized by the MAC on Sept. 4. The MAC accolades are the first of his career.
WVU soccer scarf ticket packages and single match tickets are on sale now at WVUGAME.com or by calling 1-800 WVU GAME. The scarf ticket package includes a scarf and 10 tickets to be used at any men's or women's soccer match during the 2018 regular season. Packages are just $30 and are available while supplies last. With the exception of Dollar Nights, single match tickets are $5 each and $3 for groups of 10 or more when purchased in advance at WVUGAME.com. At the Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium ticket window, tickets will be $7 for adults, $5 for youth and seniors and $3 for groups. The discounted online pricing will be available until kickoff of the match. Tickets for WVU students are free with a valid student I.D.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUMensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
GK
/ Men's Soccer
D
/ Men's Soccer
MF
/ Men's Soccer
F
/ Men's Soccer
MF
/ Men's Soccer
MF
/ Men's Soccer
F
/ Men's Soccer
GK
/ Men's SoccerMSOC: NCAA vs. St. John's Cinematic Recap
Sunday, November 23
MSOC: Sun Belt Quarterfinals vs. Old Dominion Cinematic Recap
Tuesday, November 11
MSOC: South Carolina Cinematic Recap
Thursday, November 06
The Mountain State Derby Cinematic Recap
Sunday, November 02
