University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Men's Soccer Hosts Syracuse Saturday Evening
9/29/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Sept. 29, 2011
The University of Pittsburgh men's soccer team returns home to host its first conference game at Ambrose Urbanic Field at the Petersen Sports Complex. The Panthers entertain the Syracuse Orange (2-6) on Saturday, Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. Saturday's game - Pitt's 10th of the season - begins a string of four-straight home contests. Pitt is home for six of its next seven total games.
The Panthers dropped their Big East opener last Friday, Sept. 23, falling at Rutgers, 3-1. Freshman midfielder Manny Morgado scored his first career goal. Sophomore goalkeeper Matt Aberegg got the starting nod (3 saves, 90 minutes), the fourth Panther to see action in goal this season.
Pitt and Syracuse are meeting for the 18th time in program history with the series at 7-7-3. The first meeting occurred on Nov. 9, 1985. The Panthers have a 2-4-2 mark at home against the Orange.
Last season's showdown featured a 0-0 tie after two extra stanzas at SU Soccer Stadium .The contest was the Big East opener for both teams. The Panthers outshot the Orange, 22-9, in the contest. Junior Ryan Brode had five shots and his attempt in the 60th minute bounced off of the crossbar - Pitt's best scoring chance of the night. SU goalkeeper Jeremy Vuolo had nine saves and Pitt netminder Hami Kara posted his fourth shutout of the year.
About the Orange
SU lost to Binghamton at home on Tuesday night by a 2-1 score with all three goals coming in the second half. The Orange dropped their Big East opener at home to Marquette (3-2) on Sept. 24.
Syracuse is led in scoring by senior midfielder Nick Roydhouse, who paces the team in both goals (2) and points (6). He shares the lead in goals with freshman defender Skylar Thomas. Thomas has only taken three shots on the season, but has scored on two of the three attempts. Goalkeeper Phil Boerger has played every minute of every contest for the Orange (733:55) with a 1.72 GAA and 36 saves. SU has yet to win a road or neutral game this season with a 0-2 away mark and a 0-2 ledger in neutral contests in 2011.
Head coach Ian McIntyre is 4-16-5 in two seasons at Syracuse and owns an 111-79-37 overall ledger in 13 seasons.
Same Hometown, Same Last Name
If the hometown looks familiar, it should. Senior co-captain Ryan Brode hails from Setauket, N.Y. and on the SU roster, you can also find an individual from Setauket - Ryan's brother, Mark. Mark has started every game this season for SU, scoring his first goal of the year against Marquette. He was one of only two players to start all 17 games a year ago and was second on the team in points (6) and goals (3).
Gunderson and SU freshman Jide Oluyedun are also familiar with each other having been teammates at Shattuck-St. Mary's School in Minnesota.
Still Searching
Pitt used its fourth goalkeeper this season on Sept. 23 - in its last game - in sophomore Matt Aberegg. He played 90 minutes and collected three saves in his debut at Rutgers. Freshman Lee Johnston leads the goalie quartet with 368-plus minutes, an .850 save percentage and a 0.73 goals against average. Senior Hami Kara has logged 191:26 in three games, while sophomore Keegan Gunderson has posted two complete games (180 minutes) with a team second-best nine saves. He has one of the two wins on the season with Johnston accounting for the other.
There's No Place Like Home
The Panthers have gone 1-3-0 at home since making their debut on their new home turf on Sept. 9. The Panthers are home for the next four-straight and six of the next eight games. This season marks the first at Ambrose Urbanic Field, Pitt's on-campus home.
On the Road
Pitt began the 2011 season with a string of four-straight road/neutral games. The last time a Panthers squad played four or more road or neutral games consecutively was during the 2003 season (five-straight). Pitt has never in its 57-year history opened a season with four road/neutral games - the most were three contests to start the 1982 campaign (at George Mason, at Virginia, at Grove City). The most away games to start a season under head coach Joe Luxbacher is two-straight on three occasions. The Panthers posted a 0-5-1 away mark and a 0-2 neutral mark last season.
Some Highs, Some Lows
Pitt posted a season-high 24 shots versus Richmond on Sept. 18, topping its previous season-high of 18 (at Robert Morris in the season opener). Prior to the UR game, the Panthers had a combined 26 shots in the three games prior. Eleven of the 24 shots were on goal - tying s season-high (also at RMU on Aug. 29). Pitt has been out-scored this season, 17-7.
New Place, Same Face
Both Pitt and Syracuse recently announced that they will be departing the Big East Conference to join the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
Non-Conference
The Panthers have a 2-5-1 record this season against non-conference competition with one last non-conference game left to play - on Wednesday at home against Cleveland State.
On the Mark
Sophomore Manny Morgado scored his first goal of the season against Rutgers on Sept. 23. It was an unassisted free kick from 18 yards out. Morgado is third on the team in shots (11) and second in points (3). Morgado has started all nine games this season.
Six and Counting ...
Sophomore transfer Nico Wrobel has scored five of the team's seven goals this season. The five goals are the most for a Panthers player in a single season since 2005 (Dwayane Grant Higgins, 5). In 2004, two players (second team All-Big East honoree Keeyan Young and Billy Brush) each registered seven goals.
Youngsters
Head coach Luxbacher welcomes 10 newcomers - nine freshmen and a sophomore transfer - to the field this season. The freshmen and one sophomore have seen quite a bit of play over the 2011 campaign with Manny Morgado and Nico Wrobel each having started all nine games. Freshman Dan Prete has three starts in nine games while Julian Dickenson (who was injured to start the year) has two starts and four total appearances. Another newbie - Derrick Smith has three starts in three games while Chu Chu Onyeukwu has started four games with showings in all nien contests. Freshmen Lee Johnston has seen action in five games - with four starts.
Different 11
The Panthers have used seven different starting line-ups in nine games this season. Sophomores Nico Wrobel and Robert Iledare and freshman Manny Morgado are the only four players to earn a start in every single game (9) this season. Shane Flowers had started the first eight games, before coming off the bench at Rutgers.
Big East Nod
Freshman Lee Johnston saw his first career action at the Duquesne Invitational the first weekend in September. The Florida native played 200 minutes, allowing just one goal and making eight saves. The two-game performance earned Johnston a Big East honor roll nod on Sept. 5.
All-Tourney Selections
Johnston, Wrobel and sophomore Robert Iledare were all named to the Duquesne Invitational All-Tournament team on Sept. 4. Iledare, in his second season with the Panthers, shifted from the front to the back this season. He saw action in just two games in 2010. Ildeare and Manny Morgado, meanwhile, were named to the Pitt/Nike Invitational on Sept. 11 in a tally among the coaches of the teams (Duquesne, Air Force, Bowling Green) who participated.
