WVU Falls to No. 20 Pacific
Sunday’s Scoreboard
Pacific 2,
West Virginia 0
Courtesy of West Virginia Sports Information
Pacific 2,
West Virginia 0
Box Score
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Playing its first ranked team of the season, the West Virginia University men's soccer team lost to No. 20 Pacific, 2-0 on Sunday afternoon at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
The Mountaineers (6-3-2) held the 20th-ranked Tigers (8-2-0) to four shots, two on goal. WVU recorded 12 shots, four on goal.
Junior Rushawn Larmond came off the bench and led West Virginia with three shots, two coming on goal, while junior Logan Lucas had two shots.
Tariq Branche scored both goals for Pacific, in the 12th and 70th minutes. Tiger keeper Curtis Goldsmith countered with four saves.
WVU had the game's first opportunity, in the fifth minute, but senior Louis Thomas' cross in from near the end line was intercepted by the Pacific keeper. Three minutes later, senior Jad Arslan was tripped on a breakaway 30 yards out, but the Mountaineers couldn't convert on the free kick after a yellow card was shown.
Pacific's first goal came at 11:17. From just outside the near corner of the 18, Bob Groenendijk sent a cross in to Branche, who scored from six yards out.
Sophomore Albert Andres-Llop had a free kick opportunity in the 13th minute from the far corner outside the box, but his chance in was saved by a leaping Goldsmith.
After WVU prevented Pacific from getting any chances despite having possession in the 21st minute, Arslan had a shot in the 34th minute from the top of the box, but it went high.
Arslan had another chance in the 43rd minute, but he was tripped by the keeper just outside the box. After a yellow card was shown to Goldsmith, freshman Tsubasa Takada's free kick opportunity went high.
Just before halftime, a red card was shown to Pacific's Tristan Blackmon. It was one of six cards shown in the match, with three to each team. WVU would play the remainder of the game with the man advantage.
Early in the second half, freshman Spenser Myers had a shot from the edge of the box, but it was blocked. WVU had another chance 12 minutes later on Arslan's corner kick, but again the Tiger keeper was able to intercept the ball in.
The Tigers extended their lead to 2-0 at 69:28. Off a Pacific corner kick, the Mountaineers got a head on it but couldn't clear the ball. Andres Ochoa headed it out to Branche, who connected from the near corner of the box on a ball that bounced off the near post and in.
Junior Jorge Quintanilla had a chance saved in the 70th minute, and the Mountaineers had three chances in the 73rd. Sophomore Logan Lucas had his shot blocked, and then Larmond had one shot go just wide and another that was saved.
The Mountaineers have five days off before returning to action to open Mid-American Conference play against Northern Illinois on Saturday, Oct. 7, at 7 p.m. ET at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
