Soccer records Luxbacher’s 200th victory

Pitt men’s soccer head coach Joe Luxbacher waited long enough for his team’s first win of… Pitt men’s soccer head coach Joe Luxbacher waited long enough for his team’s first win of the season.

With an early 0-2 record, Pitt came from behind for a 5-4 victory over Marshall, but it was more than just the first victory of the young season for Luxbacher.

Luxbacher, who played soccer at Pitt from 1971-74, reached a milestone thanks to the win, recording the 200th victory of his coaching career.

“It was a wild game,” Luxbacher said. “It felt good to get the win, but honestly, I didn’t know it was my 200th until I got a message from the assistant athletic director congratulating me.”

“But I guess if you coach long enough, you get it,” he added.

In the second game over the weekend, the Panthers registered a 3-3 tie against Mount St. Mary’s in their first home game of the season, after neither team found the net in two overtimes.

Pitt 5, Marshall 4

Three goals in the first half put the Panthers in a deep hole to climb out of if they planned on having any chance of a win.

Marshall scored the first two goals back to back in the 12th and 13th minutes, with Jeremy Ashe contributing on each of the scores. He assisted Kirk Gibson on the first goal while scoring the second off a cross from Stanton Smith.

The Thundering Herd built upon its lead later in the 29th minute when Ashe and Smith combined again, this time in opposite roles as Smith scored off a pass from Ashe.

With the score at 4-2 late in the game, Pitt scored three unanswered goals in a little over five minutes. They played with a man advantage after Marshall’s Karim Boukhemis was dealt a red card.

“We’re scoring more goals than we ever had,” Luxbacher said. “The guys are battling. They could have got down at any point when they were behind, but they never did.”

Tyler Bastianelli and Dwayne Grant-Higgins connected on the first two goals of that span, providing each with two goals in the game.

Keeyan Young finished off the rally with what proved to be the game winner on a kick from 20 yards out that found the back of the net.

“It was an exciting game for fans, but from a coach’s standpoint, we have got to play better defensively,” Luxbacher said.

Pitt 3, Mount St. Mary’s 3

Pitt fell behind 1-0 in the early going against Mount St. Mary’s, forcing them to play from behind yet again.

Young, however, tied the game for Pitt in the second half after dribbling for 40 yards and putting the ball by Mount St. Mary’s goalkeeper Mark Murphy.

Howdy Long executed a give-and-go with Vinnie Berry in the 67th minute to pull Mount St. Mary’s back ahead of the Panthers. Tom DeCato scored Pitt’s second goal shortly after on a direct kick.

Young put the Panthers ahead by one with his second goal of the game, but the Panthers couldn’t hold the lead as James Zabel came off the bench and tied the game, sending it into overtime. Neither team could score in the extra time.

“We’re not playing bad soccer, but we’re making crucial mistakes and just never getting away with them,” Luxbacher said. “It seems like every time we make an error, the other team capitalizes on it.”

Young’s two goals gave him 21 career goals and pushed him into 8th all-time at Pitt. Coach Luxbacher holds the career goals record at Pitt with 37 goals. Luxbacher was also honored before the game with a commemorative game ball for his 200th win.

Pitt returns to action Friday at 3 p.m. with a matchup at Villanova, opening up its 2005 Big East schedule.