Sept. 8, 2005
Box Score
Box Score (pdf)
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Pitt men's soccer coach Joe Luxbacher recorded his 200th career victory as Pitt battled back from a 3-0 deficit with four second half goals en route to a 5-4 victory over Marshall Thursday evening at Sam Hood Field. The victory improved Pitt to 1-2-0 on the young season while Marshall dropped to 1-2-0.
Pitt was led by two goals from Dwayne Grant-Higgins and Tyler Bastianelli.
Marshall jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first half. Kirk Gibson got the Thundering Herd on the board in the 12th minute after Jeremy Ashe took a cross from Stanton Smith and then quickly dished it off to Gibson, who deposited it for the 1-0 lead. The Herd scored a minute later on a goal from Ashe off a long cross from Smith. Ashe returned the favor in the 29th minute with a cross to Smith, who gave Marshall a 3-0 lead. Pittsburgh's Bastianelli scored a goal in traffic in the 39th minute to cut the lead to 3-1 at halftime.
In the 48th minute, Marshall's Karim Boukhemis was whistled for a red card, and the Herd played a man down the rest of the way.
Pitt's Dwayne Grant-Higgins scored off a corner kick in the 60th minute to cut the lead to one, but the Herd's Dana Heimbecker answered in the 68th minute with a goal off an assist from Michael MacDonald, to push the Marshall advantage back to two at 4-2.
But Pitt roared back, scoring three unanswered goals in just over five minutes to take the lead. Bastianelli scored on a header -- his second goal of the match - and Grant-Higgins followed just over a minute later to tie the game. Keeyan Young capped the scoring with a rocket from 20 yards out to seal the win for Pittsburgh. The goal proved to be the game winner.
Marshall outshot the Panthers 15-13 for the match, including a 9-2 advantage in the first half. Pitt opens its home schedule when it hosts Mount St. Mary's Sunday at Founders Field. Kickoff is at 1 p.m.
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