Panthers Dominate Blue Hens, 6-1

Monday, August 27

Newark, Del.

7 PM

Pitt

1-1-0

Delaware

0-2-0

Pitt

Delaware

Panthers Dominate Blue Hens, 6-1

8/27/2018 11:12:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score Box Score Season Stats

Kizza Records Hat Trick in Win against Delaware Monday Night

NEWARK, DEL. – A hat trick from sophomore Edward Kizza led the University of Pittsburgh men's soccer team to an impressive 6-1 decision over Delaware in its first road match of the season at Stuart & Suzanne Grant Stadium.

The win improved the Panthers' record to 1-1-0 on the season while dropping the Blue Hens to 0-2-0.

Kizza led the way, but it was a team effort that really put Pitt over the top. Seniors Robby Dambrot and Javi Perez and redshirt freshman Fiorre Mane each added one goal apiece, while sophomores Alexander Dexter and Jose Luis Sena Arbona and freshmen Nyk Sessock and Chandler Vaughn each contributed an assist.

Kizza's exceptional outing resulted in his name being added to the Pitt record book in multiple categories. Coming off a season in which he recorded four goals, the sophomore's three goals against Delaware make him just the 20^th player in program history to record a hat trick. Kizza's goal in the opening minutes was also the quickest goal to start a game in school history, coming just 1:40 into the match and besting the previous record of 1:58 set in 2006.

"I'm proud of the concentration our team brought to the match," said head coach Jay Vidovich. "We are growing as a team. Our relationships on both sides of the ball are improving, as is our willingness to work for each other. We created some tremendous team goals that lead me to believe that we have a lot of potential in front of us."

The Panthers got things rolling early, scoring two goals within the first eight minutes of the game. Kizza initiated the scoring attack, netting a goal in less than two minutes after receiving a cross from Dexter on the left side. Perez then tacked on a goal of his own, using a penalty kick to give Pitt a 2-0 advantage.

Just over 10 minutes later, Dambrot got into the mix after finding the back of the net from the left side of the box off a deep feed from Sena Arbona. Kizza later added his second goal of the game after heading in a cross from Vaughn, giving the Panthers a 4-0 lead in the 37^th minute. Pitt would add another goal just a minute later, with Mane securing the Panthers fifth goal of the half off a Sessock cross from the right side.

Delaware would go on to record its first goal of the game at the 55:39 mark in the second half, but Pitt would quickly answer back after Kizza finished off his hat trick less than a minute later, giving the Panthers a 6-1 lead and the eventual win.

In goal, freshman Johan Penaranda got the starting nod, recording a save while allowing one goal in more than 67 minutes of play. Redshirt junior Jacob Rooth closed the game for Pitt, recording a save in his 22 minutes of action.

As a team, the Panthers led the Blue Hens in shots (10-4) and shots on goal (9-3) while Delaware finished the match with a 4-0 advantage in corners.

Up next, Pitt will travel to Akron, Ohio, to face the fourth-ranked Zips Saturday, Sept. 1 at 7 p.m.

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