Inside The Panthers

Pitt Men's Soccer Defeats Rival Penn State

The Pitt Panthers men's soccer team defeated rival Penn State on the road.

Dominic Campbell

Pitt Men's Soccer Celebrates A Goal
Pitt Men's Soccer Celebrates A Goal / Courtesy of Pitt Athletics

PITTSBURGH -- The No.3 Pitt Panthers men's soccer team went into hostile territory and came out with a victory over rival Penn State on the road.

The Panthers (3-0-0) win their third straight match to start the season for the first time since the 2020-21 season, as they defeated both No. 16 Georgetown and Mercyhurst, 2-0, on Aug. 22 and Aug. 25, respectively, at Ambrose Urbanic Field.

The win for the Panthers over the Nittany Lions (1-2-0) makes it three wins in the past four in the all-time series, including two straight on the road, with a 1-0 win back on Sept. 13, 2021.

Pitt had the better of the chances in the first half, with six shots to one and two on target. The best scoring opportunity for Pitt came off a corner kick in the 24th minute, as junior defender Jackson Gilman rose up and headed the ball, but it hit off the cross bar.

Penn State took advantage of their only opportunity in the first half and scored a goal. They got a free-kick on the edge of the left side of the box and junior defender Samuel Ovensen brought the ball down in the box, allowing UConn transfer in junior forward Christian Dionne to smash it into the back of the net and taking the lead in the 38th minute.

Pitt continued to put pressure to start the second half, but Penn State sat back and made it difficult for them to get opportunties.

The Nittany Lions almost doubled their lead, as Panthers freshman centre-back Niklas Soerensen failed to clear the ball, allowing Wake Forest Demon Deacons graduate transfer midfielder Chase Oliver to get a chance right on goal in the 57th minute. The Panthers managed to stand strong and blocked his ensuing shot.

Pitt managed to get a penalty in the 60th minute, as Penn State sophomore defender Mohamed Cisset fouled Pitt sophomore forward Albert Thorsen in the box. Senior midfielder Guilherme Feitosa stepped up and put it in the back of the net to tie the game up.

The Panthers would take a 2-1 lead just six minutes later in the 66th minute, as Thorsen crossed it into the box and found junior defender Casper Svendby, who headed in the goal with ease, and the Dayton transfer went off to celebrate his first goal for his new team.

Penn State went down to 10 men in the 74th minute, as sophomore midfielder Caden Grabfelder went right into the back of Pitt graduate student midifielder Felipe Mercado, earning his second yellow card and getting a red card as a result.

The Nittany Lions failed to create any serious scoring chances and the Panthers came out victorious.

Pitt will finish their weekend by travelling to Phiadelphia to take on Penn at 7:00 p.m. on Sept. 1.

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Dominic Campbell
DOMINIC CAMPBELL

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