Pitt men’s soccer falls to Louisville 2-1 in overtime in ACC Tournament first round

Pitt men’s soccer was eliminated from the ACC Tournament on Wednesday night, falling 2-1 to Louisville in an overtime thriller at Ambrose Urbanic Field. The loss eliminated the Panthers from the tournament and will severely damage their chances of making the NCAA Tournament.

The Panthers and the Cardinals were neck and neck the entire match, as neither team could earn a single goal in regulation. With the game heading to overtime, Louisville proved too much to handle, scoring two goals in extra minutes. The Panthers tried to rally late, as graduate student midfielder Joao Souza scored Pitt’s lone goal of the night in the 105th minute. But the Cardinals halted the Panthers comeback, sealing the 2-1 victory 

Louisville first-year goalkeeper Alex Svetanoff led the Cardinals to the victory, earning a career high in saves with nine, while only allowing one goal.

The Cardinals dominated possession of the ball early, taking two shots in the first seven minutes of play. The Panthers eventually found their groove offensively later in the first half, as senior midfielder Filip Mirkovic fired off the first shot of the night for Pitt. 

But neither team could gain the upper hand in the first half, as the period ended with the score 0-0. Pitt and Louisville also fared similarly on paper in the first half, with both teams finishing the period with five shots and one corner kick a piece. 

Pitt gained some momentum heading into the second half, outshooting the Cardinals 9-4 in the period. But the Panthers’ efforts were still not enough to gain the upper hand, as the second half ended with the game still locked at 0-0. 

With ACC Championship hopes on the line, the Panthers returned to the field for the first overtime period. Pitt played well in the first overtime period, outshooting the Cardinals 3-2. But it still wasn’t enough. Svetanoff continued his dominant night in extra minutes, earning another save to keep the score 0-0 after one period of overtime. 

Then the Cardinals took over. Louisville scored two goals in the second overtime period. Cardinals junior defenseman Mason Tatafu earned the first goal for Louisville, as he fired a shot into the bottom left of the goal to give his team a late 1-0 lead. Then Louisville sophomore forward Damien Barker John sealed the game for the Cardinals, scoring another goal to make the score 2-0.

Pitt tried to even the score, as Souza scored Pitt’s first goal of the night less than a minute later. But it was just too much to overcome, as the Cardinals walked away with the 2-1 lead. 

The loss eliminates Pitt from the ACC Tournament. The Panthers will now hope to hear their name called at the NCAA Tournament Selection Show on Nov. 13.