Caldeira’s Hat Trick Propels Mountaineers to Second Round of NCAA Tournament

Thursday, November 20

Morgantown, W.Va.

7 p.m.

West Virginia University

13-4-3, 7-2-0

St. John's

9-6-4, 3-3-2

St. John's (NY)

West Virginia

Caldeira’s Hat Trick Propels Mountaineers to Second Round of NCAA Tournament

November 20, 2025 11:43 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

By: Adam Grossman

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Senior Marcus Caldeira cemented his status as a West Virginia University men's soccer legend on Thursday night with a hat trick against St. John's, including the golden goal in the 94^th minute, as the Mountaineers defeated the Red Storm, 4-3, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium. WVU improves to 13-4-3 while SJU ends its season at 9-6-4.

The Mountaineers advance to the second round against No. 10-seed High Point on Sunday evening in North Carolina. The two teams drew 2-2 earlier this year in Morgantown.

Caldeira's three goals give him 41 for his career, tied for third all-time in program history with Walter Nistorenko. It is his second career hat trick after also doing so against No. 1 Marshall in 2023. The fourth goal of the night for WVU came from graduate student Nicolas Scargle, his first of the year.

Senior Ethan Dekel Daks had two assists for the Mountaineers while junior Pablo Pozos and sophomore Isaac Scheer each had one. Graduate student Marc Bonnaire made two saves in goal.

Overall, West Virginia outshot St. John's, 11-10, with a 7-5 edge in shots on goal. The Mountaineers also had a slight 5-4 advantage in corner kicks.

All five goals in the contest came after the half with St. John's converting a penalty in the 46^th minute to take the lead. The Johnnies doubled their lead in the 51^st minute to go up 2-0 early in the half.

The Mountaineers started their comeback in the 69^th minute as Scheer found Pozos in the box who made a sliding pass to Caldeira in front of the net. Caldeira made a move around the keeper and slotted it home to get WVU on the board.

In the 79^th minute, Dekel Daks sent a corner that found the head of Scargle. A St. John's defender got a head on Scargle's shot but could not keep it out of the back of the net as the Mountaineers evened up the game.

The pendulum quickly swung the other way as St. John's retook the lead in the 81^st minute.

Needing to find another late equalizer, Caldeira played hero once again, playing give-and-go with Dekel Daks before firing a shot past Red Storm keeper Alec McClachlan in the 87^th minute.

UNREAL!!! https://t.co/2ZtHXgcBCY pic.twitter.com/7y07n9R6Oo
— WVU Men's Soccer (@WVUMensSoccer) November 21, 2025

Dekel Daks nearly won the game for WVU in the final 10 seconds as he had a clean shot from just outside the box, but McClachlan made a tremendous diving save to send the game to overtime.

In the 94^th minute, Caldeira scored one of the most spectacular goals of his spectacular career. He won the ball and dribbled through four Red Storm defenders before firing a shot with his left foot past the keeper and into the back of the net.

GAME. WINNER!! pic.twitter.com/1aTPBWP1WX
— WVU Men's Soccer (@WVUMensSoccer) November 21, 2025

Sunday's game against the Panthers will kick off at 7:30 p.m. from Vert Stadium in High Point, North Carolina.

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