No. 2 Pitt Travels To No. 11 Marshall For First Road Test Friday Night

PITTSBURGH – The Pitt men's soccer team (2-0-0) will hit the road Friday night for their first road test of the 2022 season as they travel to No. 11 Marshall. The Panthers and Herd will square off at Hoops Family Field at 7:15 pm.

FOLLOW ALONG

Friday night's contest will be live on ESPN+ and can be found online HERE.
Live stats for Friday's game can be found HERE.
Live updates throughout the game will also be posted on Twitter by following the Pitt men's soccer account @Pitt_MSOC.

THE SERIES - MARSHALL

This meeting marks the fifth game between the two programs in the all-time series with the Panthers owning the 2-0-2 record against the Herd.
The two sides last met in 2005 with the Panthers earning the 5-4 road victory. That game marked the only road game for Pitt in the all-time series.
The first game between the two programs came in 1991, a scoreless draw in Pittsburgh.

SCOUTING THE HERD

Marshall comes into Friday's match ranked No. 11 in the latest United Soccer Coaches Poll as they own a 1-1-0 record.
The Herd opened the season with a 5-0 home victory over VCU before falling Monday night at Butler, 1-0.
Marshall is being led offensively by Milo Yosef who netted a hat trick in the season opener and was named Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Week on Tuesday. Yosef has 58 career points which is tied for seventh in Marshall program history.
The Herd also return their starting goalkeeper, Oliver Semmle, from last years NCAA Tournament team. Semmle notched his 20th career clean sheet in the season opening win over VCU.

FRENCH CONNECTION

The combination of midfielder Valentin Noel and forward Bertin Jacquesson has been deadly for the Panthers over the past three seasons.
The two prolific scorers haven't disappointed early on as they both have netted a goal in each of the first two games of the season.
Noel opened the scoring last time out against No. 6 West Virginia as he buried a cross from Jacquesson into the left corner. Jacquesson then added his second of the season after a great run down the right sideline as he slotted one into the lower left corner.
The two Frenchmen have combined to score 36 goals for Pitt over the last three seasons. The 36 goals are the most by any duo in the ACC over the last three seasons.
Noel currently ranks fifth in program history in goals (26) and eighth in points (62).
Jacquesson is currently third in program history in assists (20). He has also recorded 46 points in 40 career matches for the Panthers.

JACQUESSON EARNS A VARIETY OF WEEKLY AWARDS

After compiling two goals, two assists and six points across a pair of ranked victories for the Panthers, junior forward Bertin Jacquesson earned multiple weekly awards.
On Tuesday, Jacquesson was named ACC Co-Offensive Player of the Week. It marked his second time earning the conference weekly recognition. He is one of two Panthers in program history to earn the ACC honor twice (Valentin Noel).
Jacquesson also earned recognition by three other publications as he was named to TopDrawerSoccer Men's Team of the Week, College Soccer News Men's National Team of the Week and was one of Soccer America's Three Stars of the Week.

FACING RANKED OPPONENTS

The Panthers are no stranger to nationally ranked opponents and they will face their third straight nationally ranked foe Friday night in Huntington, WV as they take on No. 11 Marshall.
Pitt opened the season with back-to-back wins over top-10 programs for the first time in program history as they downed No. 2 Georgetown 2-1 and No. 6 West Virginia 3-0.
Pitt is now 4-0-1 against top-5 opponents over the last two seasons as they downed Georgeotwn (No. 2), Clemson (No. 2), Duke (No. 3) and North Carolina (No. 4) during the regular season and tied Notre Dame (No. 4) in the Elite Eight last season.
Overall, Pitt is 6-0-1 against nationally ranked foes over the last two seasons.
Over the last three seasons, Pitt owns a 10-3-1 record against ranked opponents.

EXPERIENCED IN THE MIDFIELD

Graduate student Jackson Walti has been a stalwart in the central midfield for the Panthers since stepping foot on campus in 2018.
Walti currently leads all NCAA Division I soccer player in minutes played with 7,243 career minutes for Pitt. His 81 games played also the most by any Division I player.
A native of Switzerland, Walti has appeared in 81 matches and started 78 across his career while adding four goals, five assists and 36 shots.
Junior Filip Mirkovic also brings loads of experience to the field for the Panthers as he has appeared in 40 matches and started 36 across his young career.
Mirkovic has posted six goals, seven assists and 19 points to go along with 43 shots in three years of action.

UP NEXT

No. 2 Pitt returns home Monday night as they welcome Howard to Ambrose Urbanic Field for a 7:00 pm first kick. Monday's match will air live on ACC Network Extra.

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