Panthers Begin Three-Match Road Trip at Penn State

PITTSBURGH – The No. 15 Pitt men's soccer team travels to Penn State Monday evening for the first of three-straight on the road. The match will be nationally broadcast on Fox Sports 1.

LIVE STATS | WATCH | GAME NOTES

THE SERIES – PENN STATE

One of Pitt's oldest rivalries in not only men's soccer but athletics as a whole, the Nittany Lions lead the all-time series 24-7-3.
The Panthers broke a nine-match winning streak from Penn State in 2017, winning 3-2 in overtime at home.
The Nittany Lions won the last meeting, a 3-1 decision in 2019 in University Park.
Head Coach Jay Vidovich is 2-2-1 all-time against Penn State and 1-2 while at Pitt.

SCOUTING THE NITTANY LIONS

Penn State enters the contest 3-1-1 overall and is receiving votes in the most recent United Soccer Coaches Poll.
The Nittany Lions have wins against Syracuse, American and Penn, a tie vs. George Mason and a loss to West Virginia.
Junior Andrew Privett leads the team with seven points, scoring three goals and tallying an assist. Privett has scored a goal in each of his last two games.
Junior goalkeeper Kris Shakes enters the match 17th in the country in total saves (17) and is 11th in the nation in saves per game (5.67).
The Nittany Lions are coming off a year where they finished 9-2-2 overall and 6-1-1 in the Big Ten in 2020-21, earning a spot in the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship.

PITT OPENS ACC PLAY WITH 4-0 SHUTOUT OF NORTH CAROLINA

The Panthers responded from the Akron loss with a big win Friday, Sept. 10 at home against No. 4 North Carolina, defeating the Tar Heels 4-0 in both teams' ACC opener.
Senior Rodrigo Almeida scored twice - his first multi-goal game of his career - while Veljko Petkovic and Valentin Noel each recorded a goal.
Petkovic tallied two assists for his second multi-assist game of the season. Jasper Löeffelsend and Alexander Dexter also registered an assist.

PETKOVIC PRECISION

Junior Veljko Petkovic has flashed his offensive abilities early this season, totaling four goals and four assists, both of which lead the team.
The Queens, N.Y., native opened the season with two goals and two assists in Pitt's 7-0 shutout of Duquesne.
He recorded his third goal of the season against Lehigh, aiding the Panthers to a 2-1 victory over the Mountain Hawks.
Petkovic tallied his second multi-assist game of the season with two assists at home vs. No. 4 North Carolina while also scoring his fourth goal of the season and first game-winner of the year.
The midfielder currently ranks 9th in school history for career points with 55 (19 goals, 17 assists).
He was named ACC Offensive Player of the Week Aug. 31 and earned College Soccer News and TopDrawerSoccer Team of the Week honors Sept. 1.

HOT START FOR ALMEIDA

Senior Rodrigo Almeida is having a career year so far in 2021, totaling four goals and a 1.000 shot percentage (6-for-6).
The midfielder scored a goal in Pitt's first two home matches (Duquesne, Lehigh) before recording the first multi-goal game of his career at home vs. North Carolina.
Almeida is currently second on the team in points (8) and tied for first in goals (4).

HOME TURF ADVANTAGE

Pitt extended its home winning streak to 13 matches Friday, Sept. 10 vs. North Carolina.
Pitt's last home loss came Oct. 4, 2019 against No. 20 North Carolina (2-1).
Head Coach Jay Vidovich is 22-15-3 at home in six plus seasons at Pitt and is 13-2-1 in the past two seasons at Ambrose Urbanic.

UP NEXT

The Panthers remain on the road for the second of three-straight as they take on Wake Forest in Winston-Salem Friday, Sept. 17.
Kick-off is set for 7 p.m. on the ACCNX.