West Virginia Grabs Second Conference Victory
Saturday’s Scoreboard
West Virginia 2, Akron 1
Bowling Green 2, Northern Illinois 1
Western Michigan 1, SIUE 1
Stories Courtesy of MAC Sports Information
West Virginia 2, Akron 1
Box Score
AKRON, Ohio – Senior midfielder Joey Piatczyc tied the match with 13 seconds left in regulation and scored the game-winner three minutes into overtime to propel the West Virginia University men's soccer team to a 2-1 victory at Akron on Saturday night.
The Mountaineers (9-5-0, 2-0-0 Mid-American Conference) trailed 1-0 12 minutes into the second half, but responded with an offensive attack that resulted in the game-tying goal at 89:47, and the game-winner at 92:27. Following their goal, the Zips (5-5-2, 0-1-1 MAC) were held to just one shot the rest of the match, while West Virginia had 10.
"We had to fight from behind tonight, we didn't want to have to play from behind, but I thought our soccer was excellent today, and our goals were just reward for the way we played," WVU coach Marlon LeBlancsaid. "We played about as well as we've played all season, to be quite honest with you. We moved the ball well and created great opportunities. Their goalkeeper made a couple of big saves, and the same on our side. We just kept plugging away, kept staying with it, and it eventually paid off. Two fantastic setups from Jorge Quintanilla as well."
With the win, WVU sits atop the MAC standings, with six points, following two weekends of play. The Mountaineers return home to host second-place and No. 23-ranked SIU Edwardsville on Saturday, Sept. 20, at 7 p.m. ET.
Piatczyc recorded his first career two-goal match, and has a team-high-tying four goals this season to go along with a squad-best 12 points. His two points on the game-winning goal gives him 17 game-winning points in his career, eighth-most in a single season in program history.
"I talked to Joey this week about needing to get back into form," LeBlanc added. "The layoff hurt him a little bit, and (he needed to) try and get some games back under his legs. Tonight, you saw him really start to shine through again. He was the best player on the pitch tonight, and we had quite a few good players on the day today. He did what he's supposed to do, he scored two goals. I'm happy for Joey, but I'm looking forward to the next game where he can hopefully get a couple more."
Piatczyc's game-tying goal came at 89:47. The play began with junior midfielder Logan Lucas, who sent the ball up to senior midfielder Jorge Quintanilla near the top of the penalty arc. Quintanilla quickly flicked it up to Piatczyc, who was running into the box. Near the corner of the six, Piatczyc beat a defender and scored into the far corner of the net, past the keeper.
The game-winning goal came at 92:27. Sophomore goalkeeper Steven Tekesky sent a long ball up to Quintanilla, who, just passed midfield, flicked it to Piatczyc. He then dribbled across the top of the box and scored into the bottom right corner of the net.
Quintanilla's and Lucas' assists were their first of the year, while Tekesky's was his second.
In goal, Tekesky made three saves, all in the first half. Akron's Ben Lundt stopped five shots, all in the second half.
The Mountaineers out-shot the Zips, 15-9, and had eight shots on goal to Akron's four. WVU held a 10-3 advantage in shots in the second half, and did not allow a shot on goal following Akron's lone goal in the 57th minute.
Marcel Zajac scored for Akron at 56:22. Skye Harter and Ezana Kahsay earned assists.
Piatczyc, Lucas and sophomore defender Kevin Morris all had three shots, while Piatczyc led the team with three shots on goal.
The first good opportunity for either team came in the 15th minute on a cross into the box by Akron, but Tekesky made a nice diving stop 10 yards out to prevent a chance on net by the home side.
Five minutes later, the Mountaineers had a great opportunity of their own, which began with a corner kick by sophomore forward Tsubasa Takada. The corner kick into the box was headed on net by Morris, but a save was made. On the rebound, Lucas sent a shot wide from inside the six near the front post.
Tekesky made a pair of fantastic saves in the 33rd minute, and followed it up with another in the 36th. His first save came on a long ball into the box that he stopped with a diving attempt. On the rebound from near the edge of the six, he dove towards the post for another save. Three minutes later, he stopped a long ball into the box.
In the final five minutes of the first half, West Virginia had a free kick opportunity from outside the corner of the 18. On the ball in by Piatczyc, Lucas' opportunity went wide. The half closed with another save by Tekesky and a shot wide by Akron off a corner kick as time expired.
The Mountaineers had four shots, one on goal, while Akron had six shots, three on goal. UA had six corner kicks to WVU's one.
The Mountaineers first chance in the second half came off a corner kick by Piatczyc. However, his ball into the box was headed high by freshman midfielder Josh DiMatteo.
Eight minutes after Akron's goal, Piatczyc countered with a shot that was saved, in the 65th minute.
West Virginia had a great chance to tie the match in the 72nd minute, as junior midfielder Andres Muriel Albino sent a long strike in that was just tipped over the crossbar and out by a leaping Lundt. The shot came after Quintanilla sent a shot in that was blocked, on a ball in from junior midfielder Sebastian Garcia-Herreros.
WVU continued to apply pressure and had a trio of great opportunities in the 78th minute. Junior defender Ryan Kellogg's shot was cleared off the line, and the rebound went to junior defender Albert Andres-Llop, but his shot was saved. On the ensuing rebound, Lucas sent a final shot high and over the net.
The Mountaineers' offensive attack paid off at 89:47, with Piatczyc's game-tying goal, and again at 92:27, with his game-winner.
WVU begins its final homestand of the season against No. 23 SIU Edwardsville on Saturday, Oct. 20, at 7 p.m. ET, at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
Bowling Green 2, Northern Illinois 1
Box Score
DEKALB, Ill -- Junior Charlie Maciejewski scored in overtime for the second consecutive match, lifting the Bowling Green State University men's soccer team to a 2-1 win over Northern Illinois University Saturday evening (Oct. 13). The Mid-American Conference match was held at the NIU Soccer Complex.
With the win, the Falcons improve to 4-5-3 overall and 1-0-1 in MAC matches. BGSU has four points in conference play, good for a second-place tie in the six-team league.
The Falcons are unbeaten over the last four matches, having gone 3-0-1 in that time.
Senior Ebenezer Ackon also scored for the Orange and Brown. Ackon headed home a corner kick off the boot of fellow senior Tate Robertson in the 56th minute of the match, giving the Falcons the lead.
The Huskies, however, equalized on a pretty goal less than three minutes later. Jan Maertins knocked home a right-side cross from Diego Sanz at the 57:55 mark.
The winning goal came after the Huskies were called for a handball in the BG end of the field. Achille Robin took the ensuing free kick, and hit a long ball forward. Robertsin, who had the primary assist on both BG goals, got a touch on the ball near the 18-yard line, flicking it on a diagonal path toward the center of the box.
Maciejewski raced into the area, leaned down and headed the ball past NIU goalkeeper Konrad Dziedzic, giving the Falcons the victory at the 96:47 mark.
The Falcons had a narrow 16-14 advantage in total shot attempts on the night, and BGSU put six shots on frame to the Huskies' four. Maciejewski's winner was the only shot attempt for either team in the overtime period.
Junior Anthony Mwembia made three saves in goal to pick up the win. At the other end of the pitch, NIU's Konrad Dziedzic had four saves.
Western Michigan 1, SIUE 1
Box Score
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – The SIUE men's soccer team's unbeaten streak extends to seven games with a 1-1 draw against Mid-American Conference foe Western Michigan.
The Cougars improve to 9-1-3 (1-0-1 MAC) while the Broncos are now 7-5-2 (0-1-1 MAC).
"I was happy with our performance against a really good Western Michigan team," SIUE Head Coach Mario Sanchez said. "Unfortunately the one mistake we made in the back they capitalized on and I give them credit on that. We created a lot of good chances tonight."
SIUE struck first with a goal in the 17th minute. Jorge Gonzalez collected a ball on the wing, which he then dribbled into the box and slid in a great low driven cross to Keegan McHugh for the goal.
The Broncos answered almost immediately to even up the score. Western Michigan's Paul Liagre scored off a nice through ball in from Jake Ruff.
Western Michigan outshot SIUE 5-1 in the first half, but the Cougars controlled much of the possession.
Things were tight in the second half with a lot of physical play.
SIUE had numerous chances in the second half to put the game away, but missed the mark on their shots. In the 59th minute, SIUE's Steven Bibas curled in a nice shot that beat Western Michigan keeper Luka Von Lienen, but it ended up hitting the far post.
The Cougars kept their pressure up late in the second half. In the 66th minute, Greg Solawa had a nice effort on goal for the Cougars, but it ended up going just wide of the far post.
"I thought we did a better job at getting to the end line in the second half," added Sanchez. "We told them to be a bit more risk taking in the second half and our guys did a good job with that."
The first overtime flew by with just a couple looks on goal from each team. Right before the first overtime period ended, SIUE's Lachlan McLean took a shot that went wide of the goal.
SIUE outshot the Broncos 11-10 in full-time. SIUE goalkeeper Noah Heim recorded five saves on the night. Mclean led the Cougars in shots with three.
The Cougars will be back in action Tuesday at 6 p.m. as they travel to face Evansville.
"We use a lot of numbers for our mid-week games," said Sanchez. "I think one thing we've shown this season is that we are deep, and we will continue with that."
