No. 3 Pitt Returns Home; Hosts Notre Dame Saturday

PITTSBURGH – Coming off a two-game road stretch, the No. 3 University of Pittsburgh men's soccer team returns home to Ambrose Urbanic Field and hosts ACC foe Notre Dame Saturday evening at 7 p.m. Coverage will be held on the ACCNX.

At this time, fan attendance is limited to player and coach pass list only.

THE SERIES – NOTRE DAME

Notre Dame leads the all-time series 18-6-3.
The Saturday evening affair will be the third meeting between the Panthers and Fighting Irish this season. Pitt won the first meeting, 3-1, Sept. 26, 2020 and won the second affair by the same score in the ACC Championship Semifinal Nov. 18, 2020.
Prior to the 2020 season, Notre Dame won the past three meetings from 2017-2019.

SCOUTING THE FIGHTING IRISH

Notre Dame enters the contest 8-7 overall and 4-5 in conference play. They hold a 3-2 ledger on the road.
The Fighting Irish enter the game fourth in the ACC and 21st in the nation in total goals with 19.
Jack Lynn, one of the nation's leading goal scorers, comes in with eight goals to his name, ranking second in the ACC and fourth in the nation. Lynn's points per game (1.14) ranks sixth in the league, while his 16 total points is third in the ACC.
Goalkeeper Keegan McLaughlin has tallied 32 saves this year, fifth in the ACC. His 2.46 saves per game is eighth in the conference.

THE FIRST NOEL

Sophomore Valentin Noel finished the fall as one of the best goal scorers in the country, leading the Panther offense in goals, points, shots and shots on goal.
The Niort, France, native scored his first two goals of the spring campaign Mar. 19 at Duke in Pitt's 2OT thrilling victory over the Blue Devils. He followed that up with a goal at Virginia Tech Mar. 27, giving Pitt a 1-0 lead at halftime in Pitt's eventual 2-1 2OT victory over the Hokies.
Noel ranks among the best in the nation in major offensive categories, including total goals (T-1st - 11), points per game (14th - 2.00), goals per game (11th - .92), total points (2nd - 24) and shot accuracy (34th - .621).
On Nov. 15 vs. Duke, Noel set a school record for consecutive games played with a goal at four. The streak finished at six games, as he scored Pitt's lone goal in the ACC Championship Final against Clemson Nov. 22.

ACC'S NO. 1 SCORING OFFENSE

Pitt enters the Notre Dame match with the number one scoring offense in the conference with a 2.38 goals per game mark, a number also good for 15th in the nation.
The Panthers have totaled 31 goals this season, which leads the nation. Pitt also leads the country in total points (92) and is second in total assists (30).
Pitt's 7.08 points per game mark and .559 shot accuracy rank first in the conference.
The Panthers have had nine different goal scorers this season and have had 11 different players assist a goal this year.

JASPER SENDS IT IN

Graduate student Jasper Löeffelsend has emerged as one of the best passers in the country, finding his teammates on seven different occasions this season for goals.
The Cologne, Germany, native's seven assists are tied for first in the ACC and third in the nation.
Löeffelsend recorded an assist vs. Boston College Mar. 13 in the lone goal of the 1-0 shutout for his first of the spring campaign.
Löeffelsend tallied three assists against Virginia Tech Oct. 10, tying him for second all-time in a single-game in program history. Freshman teammate Bertin Jacquesson also had three assists in that same game.
Löeffelsend's seven assists currently ranks tied for ninth in a single-season in program history.

WALTI NAMED DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Junior Jackson Walti was named ACC Defensive Player of the Week Monday, Mar. 29 for his efforts in Pitt's 2-1 2 OT victory at Virginia Tech.
Walti played the entire 103 minutes, aiding a back line of defense that held the Hokies to one shot in both overtimes and three corner kicks all game.
The weekly honor was the first of his career and sixth this season by a Panther.

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