MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The No. 10 West Virginia University men's soccer team claimed the Sun Belt Championship title on Sunday, defeating No. 8 Marshall in penalty kicks. After playing to a 0-0 draw, the Mountaineers converted all six of their penalties while redshirt-senior goalkeeper made the final save to clinch the second trophy for WVU this season.
 
It is the first Sun Belt Championship title for the Mountaineers after winning their first regular-season title as well this year. It is also the first time that WVU has won both the regular season and tournament title in the same season as part of any conference in program history.
 
In the penalty shootout, graduate student Sergio Ors Navarro, senior Carlos Hernando, junior Marcus Caldeira, senior Dante Huckaby, and senior Frederik Jorgensen each made their attempts to keep pace with Marshall, who made their first five as well. In the sixth round, graduate student Dyon Dromers stepped up and buried his PK before Bonnaire made a diving save to his left for the win.
 
The Mountaineers controlled most of the game, outshooting Marshall, 16-8, with a 6-1 advantage in shots on goal. West Virginia also took 12 corners compared to just three for the Thundering Herd.
 
In the first half, it looked like WVU took the lead as Caldeira's header ended up in the back of the net, but he was called offside. The Mountaineers had a few more shots on goal in the half, but the game remained scoreless into the break.
 
The Mountaineers had the only shot on goal in the second half, but it was saved as WVU entered extra time for the first time since 2021.
 
In extra time, West Virginia had multiple chances, first in the 97^th minute as Ors Navarro's shot went off the post. In the 106^th minute, shots by graduate student Max Broughton and freshman Tristan Pusztahegyi were blocked by the Marshall back line.

Ors Navarro was named the Most Outstanding Performer of the Championship while Hernando, senior Otto Ollikainen, and junior Felix Ewald joined him on the All-Tournament Team.
 
West Virgina clinches an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament with the result. The NCAA Men's Soccer Selection Show is Monday, Nov. 18, at 1 p.m. and is available to watch on NCAA.com.
 
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUMensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.