Men’s soccer loses to cross-town rival

MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Nothing went right for the Pitt men’s soccer team in their contest… MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Nothing went right for the Pitt men’s soccer team in their contest against Robert Morris yesterday.

Most of Pitt’s shots missed the net, two starting defensemen left the game early, and the last-minute goal that the Colonials scored to solidify a 1-0 shutout was their first goal of the season.

“They got one chance and scored,” head coach Joe Luxbacher said disappointedly after the game.

With fewer than two minutes on the clock and overtime looming in a 0-0 game, the Panthers found themselves backed up in their zone. Freshman midfielder Dwayne Chin got the ball over to senior midfielder Joe Di Buono, who wasted no time shooting the ball into the open net, past an out-of-position goalkeeper Justin Lowery.

“Just one of those games where it doesn’t fall in,” senior forward Billy Brush explained after the game. He went on to describe the frustration Pitt’s offense experienced after the game by saying, “We beat them, we beat them, we beat them and they get one chance and put it in.”

Pitt did have its chances. In fact, the Panthers had several opportunities to take the lead and possibly win the game.

In the 29th minute, Pitt midfielder Brian Madden kicked the ball in on a corner kick and senior defenseman Jacob Kring closed in toward the net and headed the ball. His shot, however, traveled wide of the net.

Freshman midfielder Matt Langton found an opening about 15 yards out and fired a shot toward the goal, but Colonial goalkeeper Tomer Chencinski was in perfect position for the save, sending both teams into the half with the score knotted at zero.

The second half saw more action near the goals than the first.

Panther forwards Keeyan Young, Dwayne Grant-Higgins, Chris Bastidas and Brush all had several chances in the second half.

Right at the start of the half, Young took a pass from Brush and pushed the ball low on the ground, just wide left of the net.

Pitt had a few corner kicks early in the second half, but all were defended well, sending the Panthers scrambling around, looking to create another scoring opportunity.

With fewer than 30 minutes remaining, Brush split through two defenders, crossed horizontally across the box, and before he could release a shot, was fouled by a Colonial defender who tripped him up. The foul led to a free kick that Pitt could not take advantage of.

Chencinski made a great save in the 62nd minute, keeping the Colonials in the game. Bastidas slashed towards the goal, shot the ball low and to the right side of the net. Chencinski dove and caught the ball in his outstretched hands, but the ball began to slide out of his grasp. Young saw this and closed in quickly, getting his foot on the ball, trying to tap it past Chencinski. The goalkeeper, however, regained control and held it for a clear.

Pitt’s last great chance came when Young, again, fired a shot that soared wide right of the net.

The game was all about missed opportunities.

“I kept telling the guys, you have to finish [your scoring chances],” Luxbacher said, frustrated with the zero on the scoreboard.

Despite the goal given up in the final minutes, Pitt’s defense played especially well.

“Defense wasn’t the problem,” Luxbacher said.

Pitt’s defense even had to step it up since two of the starters left the game early. Sophomore defensemen Mike Cunha had to leave the game early in the first half because he was feeling sick, and Kring left the game at 32:33. Kring did not return because he had to leave to get stitches to heal a laceration above his right eye. He jumped up to head a ball, but bumped his head on the back of another Pitt defender.

The Colonials’ goal came after a questionable water break called by the referee.

“I’ve never heard of a water break in soccer,” Luxbacher, who has coached Pitt for 21 years, said after the game.

It was hot out and many members of the Colonial team were cramping up due to the heat, but Luxbacher explained that’s what trainers are for.

Pitt will take a three-day water break and travel to Storrs, Conn., to play UConn on Saturday at 7 p.m.