Panthers drop pair to Big East foes

Defense has been a problem for the Pitt men’s soccer team so far this season, and in the… Defense has been a problem for the Pitt men’s soccer team so far this season, and in the team’s first two Big East games, the offense, which had been scoring nearly three goals a game, joined the struggle.

Pitt (1-4-1 overall, 0-2-0 in the Big East) was held to just one goal in two games, as they suffered two road losses – a 2-0 loss at Villanova and a 4-1 defeat to Rutgers.

Between the two games, the Panthers put just 21 shots on goal, compared to the 36 shots on goal the Wildcats and Scarlet Knights combined for on the Pitt defense.

Villanova 2, Pitt 0

Villanova (2-3-0, 1-1-0) freshman Joe Taylor was a factor in both of the Wildcat goals, registering an assist on each one.

Before Villanova ever got on the scoreboard, though, the Panthers had their best opportunity to score during the first minute of the game.

Matt Firster sent a shot toward the goal that hit off the crossbar and landed back in the box, leaving itself open for a Pitt player to rebound. The Wildcats, however, cleared the ball before Pitt had a chance.

The Panthers totaled 11 shots on goal, including just four in the first half, while Villanova had 16, with 11 of theirs coming in the first half.

Villanova scored what proved to be the game winner at 8:21, when Taylor dribbled into the box, escaped a Pitt defender and sent a pass across the box to Brett Stassfurth, who beat Pitt goalkeeper Justin Lowery for his first goal of the season.

“It’s not that we’re playing poorly, or playing bad soccer,” Pitt head coach Joe Luxbacher said in an earlier interview. “We’ll make a good play here, but then give up a bad goal there.”

The Wildcats added their second goal when senior Charlie Rowan connected on a low shot off another Taylor pass inside the box.

Rutgers 4, Pitt 1

Rutgers (2-4-0, 1-1-0) had scored only two goals in its first five games, but had its offense break out in a 4-1 victory in its matchup against Pitt.

The Scarlet Knights’ first goal came early in the game when sophomore Kevin O’Connor beat Pitt goalie Andy Jorgensen with a shot to the upper left corner of the net. Adam Sternberger later scored from seven yards out, putting Rutgers up 2-0 on the Panthers.

Rutgers put the game further out of hand with two quick strikes halfway through the second half. In the 72nd minute, Nick LaBrocca scored his first goal of the season when he slipped a direct kick past Jorgensen from 35 yards out. Chris Moore netted the team’s fourth goal a minute later.

“[We’re] having trouble defensively,” Luxbacher said in the interview. “The guys are battling, but we’re making errors defensively at crucial times and not getting away with it.”

Eric Jaeger put Pitt on the board in the 79th minute, scoring the first goal of his career when his shot found the net behind Rutgers junior goalkeeper Lubos Ancin.

The Rutgers offense dominated all game, putting 20 shots on goal against Pitt’s defense. Pitt, on the other hand, only mustered 10, five in each half.

The Panthers return to action, and Big East play, this weekend, hosting two games at Founders Field. Pitt will meet up with DePaul Friday at 7 p.m. and South Florida on Sunday at noon.