Men’s soccer: In home finale, Panthers finally earn a Big East victory

In a scene all too familiar this season, Pitt men’s soccer allowed the game-tying goal with… In a scene all too familiar this season, Pitt men’s soccer allowed the game-tying goal with nine minutes left in regulation.

But thanks to senior forward Chris Wilcox’s heroics in the 86th minute, the Panthers bucked the trend and defeated the Seton Hall Pirates 3-2 in their home finale.

“Matt Baker beat a guy down the left side,” Pitt head coach Joe Luxbacher said. “Got to the end line, drove it across the end line, and Chris Wilcox, running in, just timed it right.”

Wilcox’s late goal gave the Panthers their first win in nearly two months and their first Big East victory this season. Pitt now stands at 2-12-2 on the year and 1-8-1 in the conference.

Luxbacher believes the record is misleading.

“This is not a bad team,” he said. “We have a very bad record.” He noted eight one-goal losses where one good bounce would have changed the outcome. Pitt, he said, could have been a playoff team.

Sophomore Ryan Brode and junior Justin Boehm also had goals for the Panthers, who exploded for three tallies in the match. Pitt had just one goal in Big East play entering Wednesday’s meeting.

The Pirates outshot the Panthers 16-13, but Pitt goalie Zack Matthews made seven saves to hold off Seton Hall, which falls to 1-6-3 in the Big East and 4-9-3 overall.

Dritan Sela scored the Pirates’ late marker that knotted the game at two. Seton Hall’s other tally came on a Pitt own goal.

The win over the Pirates concluded Pitt’s home schedule.

“We never quit all year,” Luxbacher said. “It’s a good way for seniors to end it, and now the goal is to go to Marquette and beat them. Then we’ll jump ahead of Seton Hall [in the standings].” Luxbacher commended Wilcox and Baker for ending their home careers with the game-winning goal and assist.

The Panthers close out the season this Saturday at Marquette (3-9-3, 2-4-3 Big East). A victory against the Golden Eagles would prevent Pitt from ending the year with the worst record of Luxbacher’s 26-year tenure.