College Cup Bound! No. 2 Pitt Defeats No. 7 Washington, 3-0

Monday, May 10

Cary, N.C.

1 PM

Pitt

16-3-0, 9-1-0

Washington

12-4-0, 7-3-0

Washington

Pittsburgh

Photo by: Matt Hawley/Pitt Athletics

College Cup Bound! No. 2 Pitt Defeats No. 7 Washington, 3-0

5/10/2021 6:16:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score Box Score Photo Gallery

CARY, N.C. – The No. 2 seed Pitt men's soccer defeated No. 7 Washington, 3-0, Monday afternoon at WakeMed Soccer Park in the NCAA Quarterfinal Round and advanced to the College Cup for the first time in program history.

NEWS & NOTES

Pitt's historic season continues with its second-straight shutout in the NCAA Tournament. The Panthers have outscored their opponents 13-1 in three games, defeating Monmouth 6-1 and UCF 4-0 prior today's victory.
Sophomores Valentin Noel and Veljko Petkovic each scored their third goal of the NCAA Tournament. Freshman Bertin Jacquesson also scored, his first of the tournament.
Graduate student goalkeeper Nico Campuzano registered four saves in his sixth shutout effort of the season. Campuzano now has 16 wins on the year in goal.
Men's soccer becomes the second team sport in Pitt athletics history to reach the "Final Four", joining the 1941 men's basketball team as the only two teams to do so.

"Tremendous effort by the guys today," said head coach Jay Vidovich. "We fought when we had to fight and we found the back of the net and a way to get a result. I am very proud of them and I think we did a great job of taking our opportunities controlling the match and managing it and with exceptional goals. We're looking forward to the opportunity to compete in the semifinal."

The first 45 minutes were scoreless, as Pitt (16-3) recorded six shots to Washington's (12-4) one. The Panthers nearly scored in the 26^th minute, as Petkovic shot from the top of the 18-yard box and hit the top cross bar. Both teams had two corner kicks at the break.

The Panthers opened the scoring in the second half, 52 minutes in, as Noel took a cross from graduate student Jasper Löeffelsend and headed it in from five yards out. The goal was Noel's third of the tournament.

Pitt's defense held off Washington's late attack, as the Huskies served the ball into the box on several occasions and had five shots on target. The Panthers' defense turned into an offensive chance late in the match, as a clearance from the back line landed perfectly to Jacquesson who had an open goal opportunity. Jacquesson outran both the Huskie defenders and goalkeeper and hit a left foot dribbler from 35 yards out into the goal in the 88^th minute.

Less than a minute later, Petkovic scored from 53 yards out, sending a booming kick toward the goal and over the keepers head for the third goal of the game.

Pitt next faces the winner of No. 3 Indiana and No. 6 Seton Hall Friday, May 14 with a time to be determined. The match will take place at Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C. and will be live on ESPNU.