No. 1 Pitt Stays Undefeated with 4-1 Victory at Louisville

Friday, October 23

Louisville, KY

1 p.m.

Pitt

5-0-0, 4-0-0

Louisville

1-4-1, 1-2-1

Pittsburgh

Louisville

No. 1 Pitt Stays Undefeated with 4-1 Victory at Louisville

10/23/2020 4:52:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score Box Score Highlights Photo Gallery

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The number-one ranked Pitt men's soccer team defeated Louisville, 4-1, at Dr. Mark and Cindy Lynn Stadium Friday afternoon to improve to 5-0 overall and 4-0 in conference play.

News & Notes

The 5-0 overall start for the Panthers is the best start to a season since Pitt began the 2002 season 5-0.
The 4-0 record in the conference is now tied for most ACC wins in a season. Pitt went 4-3-1 in league play last year.
The win marked the first victory over Louisville in program history. The Panthers entered the contest 0-5 overall, dating back to 2006. Pitt's four goals against the Cardinals doubled the total amount they had in the series entering today.
Four different Panthers scored, including freshman Filip Mirkovic and redshirt freshman Luke Mort, who each recorded their first collegiate goals. Senior Bryce Washington tallied his first goal of the season and third of his career, while sophomore Valentin Noel scored his fifth of the year.
Noel becomes the first Panther since senior Alexander Dexter (2017) to score a goal in three consecutive games. A goal against Notre Dame next weekend would make him the first player in school history to score a goal in four-straight contests.

Washington scored the first goal of the contest in the ninth minute, heading a corner kick from sophomore Veljko Petkovic to the left post for the score. The goal was Washington's first of the season and third as a Panther. The under 10-minute goal was the third-straight contest the Panthers have scored less than 10 minutes into the game.

Mirkovic tallied the first points of his career in the 42^nd minute, ripping a low shot from 20-yards out into the back right side of the net. Petkovic found Mirkovic for the score, his third assist of the season and second career multi-assist game of his career.

The game was halted immediately after Mirkovic's goal due to inclement weather in the surrounding Louisville area. The weather delay lasted near an hour and 15 minutes.

Louisville (1-4-1) cut the Pitt lead to one (2-1), courtesy of Elijah Amo in the 50^th minute. Amo took a long ball from Bradley Sample and dribbled 30 yards before connecting with the upper right part of the net.

In the 63^rd minute, graduate student Jasper Löeffelsend found open space and sprinted down the right sideline. The Cologne, Germany, native sent a cross to the far post to Noel, who headed it from left to right to the right side of the net for a score. The assist from Löeffelsend was the fifth of the season for the defender and the Panthers extended their lead 3-1.

At the 69:06 mark of the game, Greensburg, Pa., native and Greensburg Central Catholic alum Luke Mort gathered a loose ball at the top of the 18-yard box. Mort created space and hit the upper right-hand corner with his left foot for his first career goal, giving Pitt its fourth goal of the game (4-1).

The Panthers outshot the Cardinals, 12-4, including 6-1 in the second half. Pitt also finished the game with an 8-1 advantage in corner kicks.

Pitt heads back home for the final two regular season fall games of the season. The Panthers next host Notre Dame Friday, Oct. 30 at 6 PM on the ACC Network.

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