Ors Navarro Nets Hat Trick as Mountaineers Defeat Purdue Fort Wayne in Season Opener

Thursday, August 22

Morgantown, W.Va.

7 p.m.

West Virginia University

1-0-0, 0-0-0

Purdue Fort Wayne

0-1-0, 0-0-0

Purdue Fort Wayne

West Virginia

Ors Navarro Nets Hat Trick as Mountaineers Defeat Purdue Fort Wayne in Season Opener

August 22, 2024 11:04 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

By: Adam Grossman

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Fresh off a College Cup appearance in 2023, the No. 3 West Virginia University men's soccer opened the 2024 season with a 4-2 victory over Purdue Fort Wayne, Thursday evening at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.

Graduate student Sergio Ors Navarro registered a perfect hat trick, scoring with his head, left foot, and right foot. It is the first hat trick for the Mountaineers since Marcus Caldeira found the back of the net three times against No. 1 Marshall last season, which was the first since 2014.

Junior Felix Ewald added the fourth goal of the game for the Mountaineers while graduate student Simon Carlson collected two assists.

Overall, the Mountaineers outshot the Mastodons, 18-6, including 12-5 on shots on goal, while maintaining an 8-2 advantage in corner kicks.

Ors Navarro put West Virginia on top early with a header in the 8^th minute off a great setup from Carlson. In the 17^th minute, he doubled the lead with a left-footed shot after corralling in a botched clearance attempt by the Purdue Fort Wayne goalkeeper.

The Castellon, Spain native completed the hat trick in 29^th minute, tapping in a shot off another assist from Carlson.

After Purdue Fort Wayne got on the board in 74^th minute, Ewald answered back in the 78^th minute as he cleaned up in the box off a WVU corner kick.

The Mastodons got a second goal a minute later, but West Virginia held after that to secure the victory.

The Mountaineers will return to action on Monday against Saint Francis, a team that has not lost a game since 2022. Kickoff from Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium is set for 7 p.m.

For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUMensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.