Panthers come up short against Eagles

Despite putting on one of its better performances this season, Pitt’s soccer team fell short,… Despite putting on one of its better performances this season, Pitt’s soccer team fell short, 2-0, to No. 14 Boston College on Saturday.

“The score is a little deceiving because it was just 1-0 until the final minute of the game,” head coach Joe Luxbacher said. “We played one of our best games, but we are making bad decisions when it comes time to get the ball in the net.”

Pitt’s goalkeeper, Justin Lowery, notched six saves in the game, but was outdone by Boston College’s Issey Maholo, who recorded two saves on way to his seventh shutout of the season.

The Eagles’ Charlie Davies scored both goals in the game for his seventh and eighth goals on the season. The first came in the 28th minute when Davies received a pass in the open field and beat a defender before shooting the ball past Lowery on the left side for the score.

The first goal gave Davies his fifth game-winning goal of the season and second of the week, after scoring the decisive goal for the Eagles at Yale on Wednesday.

Davies’ second goal came by way of a through ball from Richard Gavilanes with about one minute left. He put it in from the right side and provided Boston College with an insurance goal and a 2-0 lead that lasted throughout the rest of the game.

The Panthers’ only legitimate shot at scoring came early in the second half when they received a direct kick after a Boston College foul.

Pitt’s Steve Cavalier got the ball past Boston College’s defensive wall to Dwayne Grant-Higgins, who had an open look at the net. Grant-Higgins’ shot sailed wide right of the net, and Pitt was unable to muster up another shot attempt during the game.

“We watched the tape on them and set up a play to get past their wall, and it worked perfectly,” Luxbacher said. “Again, however, we just couldn’t get a shot on goal. We need to at least make the goalkeeper make a save in situations like that.”

Pitt’s leading scorer, Billy Brush, was held without a shot by the Eagles’ Pat Haggerty as Boston College outshot Pitt 14-8.

“Opportunities are there,” Luxbacher said. “Taking advantage of them is what we need to do, and we aren’t getting that done.”

Grant-Higgins led the Panthers with three shots, while Cavalier added two of his own. Davies led the Eagles with six shots and two goals, while Uri Magen-David and Gavilanes each recorded an assist.

The loss drops the Panthers’ record to 3-5-3 overall and 1-3-1 in the Big East, while Boston College improves to 9-3-0 overall and 5-3-0 in the Big East.

The Panthers return to action Wednesday as they host a Big East game with the Georgetown Hoyas, set for 7 p.m. at Founders’ Field.

“Georgetown is on a roll and has four straight Big East games to add to the fact that they are the highest-scoring team in the conference so it will be a defensive test for us,” Luxbacher said. “We are playing our best soccer, though, and it’s time for us to right the ship and make a run.”