Pitt Shuts Out Hofstra at Home to Advance to Elite Eight

Saturday, November 27

Pittsburgh, Pa.

4 PM

Pitt

13-5-1, 5-2-1

Hofstra

18-2-2, 5-1-2

Hofstra

Pittsburgh

Photo by: Justin Berl

Pitt Shuts Out Hofstra at Home to Advance to Elite Eight

11/27/2021 8:22:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score Box Score Photo Gallery

PITTSBURGH – The No. 5 seed Pitt men's soccer team reached its second consecutive NCAA Quarterfinal, defeating Hofstra 4-0 at Ambrose Urbanic Field Saturday evening.

NEWS & NOTES

Pitt returns to the Elite Eight for the second-straight season and second time in program history. Since 2019, when Pitt made its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1965, the Panthers have registered a 6-2 record in NCAA postseason action.
The Panthers earned their 11^th victory at home, breaking a program record for wins in the city of Pittsburgh. Pitt is 21-3-1 in the past three seasons at home.
Junior Raphaël Crivello had a career day, scoring two goals for the first multi-goal game of his career.
Sophomores Filip Mirkovic and Bertin Jacquesson scored one goal each, while Mirkovic, senior Alexander Dexter, junior Valentin Noel and freshman Guilherme Feitosa each tallied an assist.
Pitt will play the winner of Notre Dame/Wake Forest next weekend. If Notre Dame wins, Pitt will travel to South Bend, Ind. A Wake Forest victory would see the Panthers host the Demon Deacons.

"We are very excited with the result and moving forward," said Head Coach Jay Vidovich. "It was a really good performance by my guys and were able to manage the game well. We were fortunate to escape a couple of good efforts from Hofstra, who as we know is a very dangerous team. Very pleased with the performance by the guys."

Through the first 30 minutes of action, Pitt (13-5-1) outshot Hofstra (18-2-2) 4-1, with Pitt nearly scoring on the opening shot of the night via senior Arturo Ordoñez. The Panthers connected off the foot of Mirkovic in the 40^th minute, as he took a pass from Noel, gathered his dribble and struck a shot from 30 yards out with his right foot for the goal.

A gorgeous goal from Mirkovic ?

Panthers up 1-0!

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— Pitt Men's Soccer (@Pitt_MSOC) November 27, 2021

The Panthers led, 1-0, at halftime and outshot the Pride 10-3 through the first 45 minutes.

Pitt extended the lead soon after the second half whistle was blown as Crivello (49') took a corner kick pass from Mirkovic and hit a bouncing shot over the goalkeeper's outstretched gloves into the upper 90. In the 63^rd minute, Jacquesson scored his second goal in as many games with a right foot strike from the top of the 18-yard box.

Snuck into the upper 9??0??

Panthers lead 2-0 over Hofstra.

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— Pitt Men's Soccer (@Pitt_MSOC) November 27, 2021

Crivello earned his first career multi-goal game five minutes later with a goal inside the box. Crivello took a pass from Mirkovic's cross, attempted two shots before the third found the back of the net.
"We worked a lot last week and finding the tempo of the game," said Crivello. "When to attack, when to bounce it in the middle and find spaces. We knew when to push when we had to and it's a great feeling getting this win."

Rafael's SECOND of the match!

Panthers lead 4-0 with less than 20 to play.

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— Pitt Men's Soccer (@Pitt_MSOC) November 27, 2021

Graduate student goalkeeper Nico Campuzano had one save but a crucial one in the shutout performance. The goalie stopped Hofstra from tying the match with three seconds left in the first half with a stretched out diving stop. It marks back-to-back years he has recorded six clean sheets in a single-season, which is tied for seventh in school history for one year. It was his 12^th career shutout, a mark that stands sixth in the program record books.

Pitt awaits its opponent following the conclusion of No. 4 seed Notre Dame and Wake Forest, which kicks off tomorrow at 5 PM EST. The Panthers next match will take place either Friday, Dec. 3 or Saturday, Dec. 4.