Pitt
Cornell
No. 2 Seed Pitt to Host Cornell in NCAA Round of 32 Sunday
11/23/2024 5:14:00 PM | Men's Soccer
PITTSBURGH – After nearly a two-week hiatus, No. 2 seed Pitt will open NCAA Tournament play, hosting Cornell on Sunday evening at Ambrose Urbanic Field.
Kickoff is slated for 5 p.m., and the match can be streamed via ESPN+.
Need to Know - Game 18 (NCAA Round of 32)
No. 2 Pitt (12-5-0, 6-2-0 ACC) vs. Cornell (13-3-2, 5-2-0 Ivy League)
Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024 - 5 PM - ESPN+
Pittsburgh, Pa. – Ambrose Urbanic Field
The Opening Kick
Panthers Secure No. 2 Seed
Despite dropping four of its last six matches, Pitt earned the No. 2 overall seed in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. The Panthers are the only team in the country currently with six or more Quad 1 wins (6-2). Pitt is undefeated against nationally-ranked opponents (5-0), while outscoring them by an 11-2 margin. The Panthers defeated 25 percent (four) of the top 16 national seeds, including the third and fourth seeds, respectively (Denver and Georgetown).
Pitt in the Tourney
Monday's nod marked the sixth straight season and eighth time overall the Panthers earned a bid in the NCAA Tournament. The Panthers own a 10-6-1 overall record in NCAA Tournament games in program history, including a 10-4-1 record under head coach Jay Vidovich. Since Vidovich took over the program, Pitt owns a 5-1-0 record in NCAA Tournament home matches - with the lone loss coming last season to James Madison. Additionally, Pitt is one of only four programs nationally with two College Cup appearances since 2020.
National Marks
As a team, the Panthers rank in the top 20 nationally in seven statistical categories.
4. Corner Kicks Per Game (6.71)
11. Team GAA (0.824)
11. Goal Differential (22)
12. Scoring Offense (2.12)
16. Points Per Game (6.41)
18. Assists Per Game (2.18)
19. Total Goals (36)
Scouting the Big Red
- Sunday will mark the first-ever meeting between Pitt and Cornell.
- Cornell stormed back to defeat Fordham, 4-2, on Thursday to secure its spot in the NCAA Round of 32.
- The Big Red faced a 2-0 halftime deficit but reeled off four goals in the second period for the come-from-behind victory.
- Cornell possesses one of the nation's best offensive attacks, ranking sixth nationally in scoring offense (2.44).
- The Big Red attempt 15.61 shots per game, good for 11th in the country - with nearly half of their attempts (0.488) coming on frame.
- Sophomore forward Alex Harris leads Cornell offensively, as he has compiled 19 goals and five assists for 43 points.
- In goal, keeper Ryan Friedberg owns an impressive 1.05 GAA.
Last Time Out - vs. Virginia
Pitt fell to ninth-seeded Virginia in the quarterfinals of the ACC Championship on Nov. 10 at Ambrose Urbanic Field.
Despite the result, Pitt controlled possession 62 percent and outshot the Cavaliers, 8-4, while winning 10 corners compared to only two for Virginia. Defensively, the Panthers limited the Cavaliers to only two shots on goal – both of which coming in the second half.
After Pitt dominated the run of play for much of the first half, the two sides entered the halftime break level at zero. Of note, the Panthers held the Cavaliers to just one shot attempt in the opening frame.
Pitt continued to use a blend of progression and possession to pressure Virginia's back line opening the second half; however, the Cavaliers broke the deadlock at the 68:00 mark as Umberto Pela headed home a cross from Daniel Mangorav.
Just under 30 seconds later, AJ Smith capitalized on a bad Pitt touch and broke free down the pitch to extend Virginia's lead, 2-0. The Panthers came away with several near scoring opportunities down the stretch but were unable to find the back of the net, before ultimately falling, 2-0.
In total, six Panthers fired a shot, with the lone on-goal attempt coming from senior forward Luis Sahmkow.
Up Next
The winner of Sunday's match will advance to the round of 16 to face either No. 15 seed Missouri State or Kansas City.
