Pitt men’s soccer’s given postseason pathway

No. 2 Pitt men’s soccer will return to action this Sunday against the winner between Cornell and Fordham in the 2024 NCAA D-1 men’s soccer championship. The Panthers will host their round of 32 matchups at Ambrose Urbanic Field.

Their first opponent is either Cornell or Fordham, who will play on Thursday at 5 p.m. at Berman Field in Ithaca, New York. The game will air on ESPN+. Pitt soccer has never faced Fordham or Cornell.

Marking their sixth consecutive NCAA tournament appearance, the Panthers maintain the second-longest active streak in the ACC behind 2024’s ACC champions, Wake Forest.

Drawn as the No. 2 seed, they will avoid some heavy hitters in their potential route to the final. Both ACC runners-up and champions — Clemson and Wake Forest — as well as No. 1 seed Ohio State and seeds three through six will avoid Pittsburgh until the Panthers reach the semifinal.

But the Panthers’ quarter does contain threats to Pitt’s success. Duke and San Diego, ranked by the United Soccer Coaches as No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, sit on the other side of the quarter and could clash with Pitt in the quarterfinals.

Pitt finished its ACC season in stuttering fashion, losing its last two games both 2-0 against Syracuse and Virginia. The Panthers finished the season as outright regular-season ACC champions, with Clemson falling short on the final day.

Boasting a goals-against average of .824, the Panthers are the best defensive team in the ACC in 2024. Casper Svendby won the ACC Defensive Player of the Year award, highlighting Pitt’s defensive prowess.

Despite this, the Panthers’ success in the postseason will hinge primarily on the functionality of their offense. Pitt has failed to score in four of its last six games. The Panthers need to restore their scoring form if they have any chance of winning it all.

If anyone can get them ticking in the final third, it’s head coach Jay Vidovich — ACC Coach of the Year. Stamping his mark on an eighth coach of the year honor, Vidovich has impressed at the helm, giving Pitt a defined play style.

Vidovich won the NCAA D1 Championship in 2007 with Wake Forest and led Pittsburgh to two College Cup appearances since 2020 — one of only four programs nationally to do so. Vidovich has the experience to lead Pitt to its first-ever national championship in the program’s history.

No. 2 Pitt men’s soccer will return to action this Sunday against the winner between Cornell and Fordham in the 2024 NCAA D-1 men’s soccer championship. The Panthers will host their round of 32 matchups at Ambrose Urbanic Field.

Their first opponent is either Cornell or Fordham, who will play on Thursday at 5 p.m. at Berman Field in Ithaca, New York. The game will air on ESPN+. Pitt soccer has never faced Fordham or Cornell.

Marking their sixth consecutive NCAA tournament appearance, the Panthers maintain the second-longest active streak in the ACC behind 2024’s ACC champions, Wake Forest.

Drawn as the No. 2 seed, they will avoid some heavy hitters in their potential route to the final. Both ACC runners-up and champions — Clemson and Wake Forest — as well as No. 1 seed Ohio State and seeds three through six will avoid Pittsburgh until the Panthers reach the semifinal.

But the Panthers’ quarter does contain threats to Pitt’s success. Duke and San Diego, ranked by the United Soccer Coaches as No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, sit on the other side of the quarter and could clash with Pitt in the quarterfinals.

Pitt finished its ACC season in stuttering fashion, losing its last two games both 2-0 against Syracuse and Virginia. The Panthers finished the season as outright regular-season ACC champions, with Clemson falling short on the final day.

Boasting a goals-against average of .824, the Panthers are the best defensive team in the ACC in 2024. Casper Svendby won the ACC Defensive Player of the Year award, highlighting Pitt’s defensive prowess.

Despite this, the Panthers’ success in the postseason will hinge primarily on the functionality of their offense. Pitt has failed to score in four of its last six games. The Panthers need to restore their scoring form if they have any chance of winning it all.

If anyone can get them ticking in the final third, it’s head coach Jay Vidovich — ACC Coach of the Year. Stamping his mark on an eighth coach of the year honor, Vidovich has impressed at the helm, giving Pitt a defined play style.

Vidovich won the NCAA D1 Championship in 2007 with Wake Forest and led Pittsburgh to two College Cup appearances since 2020 — one of only four programs nationally to do so. Vidovich has the experience to lead Pitt to its first-ever national championship in the program’s history.