Huge Second Half Leads #20 Pitt To 3-1 Home Victory Over Virginia Tech

Friday, October 6

Pittsburgh, PA

7 PM

Pitt

5-3-3, 2-1-2

Virginia Tech

3-4-3, 2-2-1

Virginia Tech

Pittsburgh

Huge Second Half Leads #20 Pitt To 3-1 Home Victory Over Virginia Tech

10/6/2023 10:00:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score Box Score Season Stats Photo Gallery

PITTSBURGH – Behind a second half offensive explosion that resulted in three goals in under eight minutes of play, the Pitt men's soccer team (5-3-3, 2-1-2 ACC) collected their second ACC victory of the season as they handed Virginia Tech the 3-1 defeat on Friday night at Ambrose Urbanic Field.

Senior midfielder Filip Mirkovic collected an assist on the Panthers' first goal of the match to break the program record for career assists with his 27^th helper of his impressive career. He broke Eric Prex's record that stood since 1994.

ESSENTIAL GAME INFO
Pitt starting XI: Cabral Carter, Jackson Gilman, Abdoulaye Toure, Felipe Mercado, Albert Thorsen, Guilherme Feitosa, Mateo Maillefaud, Noah Hall, Luis Sahmkow, Filip Mirkovic, Mathys Lefebvre
VT starting XI: Mayola Kinyua, Declan Quill, Marco Vesterholm, Oliver Roche, Carter Hensley, grant Howard, William Cardona, Theo Drennan, Noe Uwimana, Sergios Feneridis
Records: #20 Pitt (5-3-3, 2-1-2 ACC) | Virginia Tech (3-4-3, 2-2-1 ACC)
Location: Ambrose Urbanic Field | Pittsburgh, PA
Attendance: 913

SCORING INFO

Pitt Goals: Jackson Gilman (2), Raphael Cilli (1), Guilherme Feitosa (1)
Pitt Assists: Filip Mirkovic (8), Abdoulaye Toure (2), Guilherme Feitosa (2), Eben McIntyre (2), Raphael Cilli (1)
VT Goal: Mayola Kinyua (1)
VT Assist: Declan Quill (3)

HOW IT HAPPENED – FIRST HALF

Pitt had the first good chance of the match in the 11^th minute as Abdoulaye Toure took a pass and hit a shot from the top of the box that just went over the crossbar
In the 18^th minute, Cabral Carter made a great save on a free kick from just outside the box
The Hokies got on the board first in the 23^rd minute as Mayola Kinyua took a long pass from Declan Quill and buried the ball into the low right corner on the breakaway
Pitt almost responded in the 28^th minute but Toure's shot just missed the left corner as he made a great run into the box

HOW IT HAPPENED – SECOND HALF

Pitt had a great chance in the 56^th minute as Jackson Gilman sent a great long ball to Luis Sahmkow but his chance from in tight was saved by the keeper
In the 59^th minute, Carter came up with a huge save as he made a kick save on a breakaway chance by Conor Pugh to keep the score 1-0 in favor of VT
Pitt was able to break through with the tying goal in the 78^th minute as Mirkovic sent a perfect corner into the box and Gilman headed home his second of the season into the right corner
Just over three minutes later, Pitt took the 2-1 lead as Raphael Cilli ripped a low hard shot past the VT keeper into the left corner. Toure and Guilherme Feitosa notched assists on Cilli's first career goal
In the 85^th minute, Feitosa put the match away with a highlight reel goal for his first of the season. He took a feed from Eben McIntyre and back-heeled it with his left foot into the lower right corner of the Hokies net. Cilli also collected an assist on the third goal of the match for Pitt

MATCH STATS

For the match, Pitt held the 17-13 lead in shots and the 4-0 edge in corner kicks
Sahmkow led all players with a game-high four shots while Mirkovic chipped in with three shots of his own in the win
In goal, Carter made a career-high eight saves in his fifth win while his counterpart Timi Adams finished his night with two saves in the loss

MATCH NOTES

With the win, Pitt improves to 7-5-4 all-time against Virginia Tech. They have won seven straight against the Hokies overall and five straight at Ambrose Urbanic Field
Pitt improved to 37-5-7 (.827) at home since the start of the 2019 season. The .827 winning percentage is the best in the ACC and sixth best in the NCAA over the span
Pitt finished the night with five assists. They have collected 182 assists as a team since the start of the 2019 season which are the most in the NCAA by more than 20
Mirkovic collected his ACC leading eighth assist of the season on Gilman's goal. He now has a program record 27 career assists, breaking the previous record held by Eric Prex since 1994
Cilli finished off the best game of his career with his first career goal and assist
Feitosa netted his first goal of the season while adding his second assist in his first multi-point game of the season

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