Sunday, November 27
Lexington, KY
6:00 PM
Pitt
11-4-5, 3-2-3
2
at
1
Kentucky
15-1-5, 5-0-3
1
2
F
Pittsburgh
0
2
2
Kentucky
0
1
1
Panthers Knock Off #1 Kentucky To Advance To Third Straight Elite Eight
11/27/2022 9:11:00 PM | Men's Soccer
LEXINGTON, KY – The magical run for Pitt men's soccer team (11-4-5, 3-2-3 ACC) continues as the Panthers knocked off previously unbeaten and #1 overall seed Kentucky Sunday night on the road in the NCAA Championship Third Round, 2-1. With the win, Pitt advances to their third straight NCAA Quarterfinal match next weekend.
After Henrique Gallina was assessed a questionable red card in the 79th minute, the Panthers continued to press on looking for the game-winning goal and in the 87th minute, Bertin Jacquesson answered that call for Pitt. The junior found some space outside the top of the box and ripped a shot past the diving keeper into the upper left corner of the net to give the Panthers the 2-1 lead. Josh Luchini picked up the assist on Jacquesson's game-winning goal as the Panthers defense held tough and preserved the win.
The first half was tightly contested by both sides as the Wildcats earned the slim 5-4 edge in shots while the Panthers had two on goal to just one by Kentucky as the game was scoreless through 45 minutes.
The Wildcats opened the scoring in the 52nd minute as Casper Grening buried a cross into the lower right corner of the Pitt goal.
Pitt came roaring back just over a minute later as Jackson Gilman headed a shot that was punched but not controlled by the Kentucky keeper and Valentin Noel was right there to volley the loose ball into the back of the net to tie the game, 1-1.
The Panthers started pressing for the go-ahead goal as Jacquesson had a great chance in the 67th minute but his hard low shot just missed the left corner. Two minutes later, Jacquesson had another chance go just wide.
After Jacquesson netted the eventual game-winner in the 87th minute, the Panthers defense secured the win as they wouldn't allow the Wildcats to break through for the equalizer.
For the match, Kentucky held the 11-9 edge in shots but the Panthers had the 5-2 lead in shots on goal. Pitt held the 4-2 lead in corner kicks and 8-5 edge in fouls in the match.
UP NEXT
Head Coach Jay Vidovich
Opening Statement …
On if the mentality shifted after they went down a man …
"I am not sure the mentality shifted that much, I think we just stuck to what we had been demonstrating the whole match, which is resiliency and sticking to a plan. They followed the plan and did it even better than what we thought. Their resiliency and fight and battle was there form the beginning. They stepped it up at that time at a huge moment and I am really proud of them."
On the team's defense …
"It is a tremendous feat. I think it was the whole team. The guys that came off the bench and the guys that put pressure on their back line. We tried to make sure we were putting pressure on both sides and our guys did a great job reading it … It was just a tremendous job by everybody."
#24, Jackson Walti, M
On how the team felt when UK scored first…
"We went into the half knowing that we were the better team, so when they came out and knocked the first one down, I think it forced us to be strong all the way through. We knew we were the better side, we just had to show it. I also think it tells us that we can turn it up another notch from the start. We don't have to wait until the other team scores. I think we had the ability to put it away. It could've been 3-0 today and we could've showed that we were a lot better. They haven't really played an ACC team and we showed that the level of competition is a lot stronger where we play."
#10, Bertin Jacquesson, F
On what happened leading up to the game winning goal…
"I think Josh [Luchini] made a good run behind, as soon as I saw that, I just followed the play. At first touch, I saw there was a guy in front of me, so I took a touch on the side and the space was open. In my mind, like last week against Akron, I don't want to go on the foul post, I always fake so the ball goes across my body, and then it just happened. One touch, two touch, boom."
On what went through his mind after the ball hit the net…
"I wasn't surprised. I was just like 'Yeah. Not bad'. I train every day and I can never just score an easy goal. It's always the more difficult ones you don't expect. So I wasn't surprised, I was just happy for the team."
NOTES
*** With the win, Pitt moves on to the Elite Eight for the third straight season
*** The win marks Pitt's first against Kentucky in the all-time series
*** The win over the #1 Wildcats marks the first over the top-seed for Pitt since 2019 when they downed Virginia
*** With his second half goal, Noel now has 34 career goals which ranks second in program history. He also has 81 career points which is third in program history, just three point shy of the school record
*** With his game-winning goal, Jacquesson moves into seventh place in program history with 60 career points
*** Joe van der Sar finished off his night with one save as he secured his 11th win of the season. The 11 wins are tied for sixth most in program history
*** Luchini collected his fourth assist of the season on Jacquesson's game-winner
??????????????
— Pitt Men's Soccer (@Pitt_MSOC) November 28, 2022
Bertin Jacquesson nets a man down goal late to send us to our THIRD straight Elite Eight ????#H2P pic.twitter.com/mbtkV8s6JV
After Henrique Gallina was assessed a questionable red card in the 79th minute, the Panthers continued to press on looking for the game-winning goal and in the 87th minute, Bertin Jacquesson answered that call for Pitt. The junior found some space outside the top of the box and ripped a shot past the diving keeper into the upper left corner of the net to give the Panthers the 2-1 lead. Josh Luchini picked up the assist on Jacquesson's game-winning goal as the Panthers defense held tough and preserved the win.
87' | GOAAALLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!@BertinJacquess4 WITH THE LASER TO THE UPPER LEFT CORNER.
— Pitt Men's Soccer (@Pitt_MSOC) November 28, 2022
Pitt 2, #1 Kentucky 1#H2P pic.twitter.com/SPOOVUgpEn
The first half was tightly contested by both sides as the Wildcats earned the slim 5-4 edge in shots while the Panthers had two on goal to just one by Kentucky as the game was scoreless through 45 minutes.
The Wildcats opened the scoring in the 52nd minute as Casper Grening buried a cross into the lower right corner of the Pitt goal.
Pitt came roaring back just over a minute later as Jackson Gilman headed a shot that was punched but not controlled by the Kentucky keeper and Valentin Noel was right there to volley the loose ball into the back of the net to tie the game, 1-1.
The Panthers started pressing for the go-ahead goal as Jacquesson had a great chance in the 67th minute but his hard low shot just missed the left corner. Two minutes later, Jacquesson had another chance go just wide.
After Jacquesson netted the eventual game-winner in the 87th minute, the Panthers defense secured the win as they wouldn't allow the Wildcats to break through for the equalizer.
For the match, Kentucky held the 11-9 edge in shots but the Panthers had the 5-2 lead in shots on goal. Pitt held the 4-2 lead in corner kicks and 8-5 edge in fouls in the match.
UP NEXT
- With the win, Pitt will host Portland in the NCAA Championship Quarterfinals at Ambrose Urbanic Field. Day and time of the match is still to be determined.
Head Coach Jay Vidovich
Opening Statement …
On if the mentality shifted after they went down a man …
"I am not sure the mentality shifted that much, I think we just stuck to what we had been demonstrating the whole match, which is resiliency and sticking to a plan. They followed the plan and did it even better than what we thought. Their resiliency and fight and battle was there form the beginning. They stepped it up at that time at a huge moment and I am really proud of them."
On the team's defense …
"It is a tremendous feat. I think it was the whole team. The guys that came off the bench and the guys that put pressure on their back line. We tried to make sure we were putting pressure on both sides and our guys did a great job reading it … It was just a tremendous job by everybody."
#24, Jackson Walti, M
On how the team felt when UK scored first…
"We went into the half knowing that we were the better team, so when they came out and knocked the first one down, I think it forced us to be strong all the way through. We knew we were the better side, we just had to show it. I also think it tells us that we can turn it up another notch from the start. We don't have to wait until the other team scores. I think we had the ability to put it away. It could've been 3-0 today and we could've showed that we were a lot better. They haven't really played an ACC team and we showed that the level of competition is a lot stronger where we play."
#10, Bertin Jacquesson, F
On what happened leading up to the game winning goal…
"I think Josh [Luchini] made a good run behind, as soon as I saw that, I just followed the play. At first touch, I saw there was a guy in front of me, so I took a touch on the side and the space was open. In my mind, like last week against Akron, I don't want to go on the foul post, I always fake so the ball goes across my body, and then it just happened. One touch, two touch, boom."
On what went through his mind after the ball hit the net…
"I wasn't surprised. I was just like 'Yeah. Not bad'. I train every day and I can never just score an easy goal. It's always the more difficult ones you don't expect. So I wasn't surprised, I was just happy for the team."
NOTES
*** With the win, Pitt moves on to the Elite Eight for the third straight season
*** The win marks Pitt's first against Kentucky in the all-time series
*** The win over the #1 Wildcats marks the first over the top-seed for Pitt since 2019 when they downed Virginia
*** With his second half goal, Noel now has 34 career goals which ranks second in program history. He also has 81 career points which is third in program history, just three point shy of the school record
*** With his game-winning goal, Jacquesson moves into seventh place in program history with 60 career points
*** Joe van der Sar finished off his night with one save as he secured his 11th win of the season. The 11 wins are tied for sixth most in program history
*** Luchini collected his fourth assist of the season on Jacquesson's game-winner
Team Stats
PIT
UKY
Goals
2
1
Shots
9
11
Shots on Goal
5
2
Saves
1
3
Corners
4
2
Fouls
9
5
Scoring Plays
Casper Grening (11)
Assisted By: Nick Gutmann
GOAL by UKY Grening, Casper Assist by Gutmann, Nick.
51:31
Valentin Noel (10)
GOAL by PIT Noel, Valentin.
53:23
Bertin Jacquesson (8)
Assisted By: Josh Luchini
GOAL by PIT Jacquesson, Bertin Assist by Luchini, Josh.
86:45
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
3
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
2
SOG
2
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
0
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
D
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