Men’s soccer ends playoff hopes with loss to Virginia Tech

The Pitt men’s soccer team was shut out for the sixth time this season and the third time in… The Pitt men’s soccer team was shut out for the sixth time this season and the third time in four games as the No. 19 Virginia Tech defeated the Panthers 6-0.

‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ The No. 19 Hokies (12-4-1 Overall, 6-3-0 Big East ) are second in the Big East and with the win clinched a Big East Championship. Virginia Tech will join St. John’s, Rutgers, Notre Dame, and Seton Hall in the 2003 Big East Championships.

‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ The Panthers (5-11-1 overall, 2-6-1 Big East) are tied with Syracuse for 11th place out of the 14 teams in the Big East. In order to earn a spot in the tournament, the Panthers had to defeat Virginia Tech.

‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ The Hokies dominated the Panthers with 27 shots as Pitt only managed to take six shots and only one was on goal.

‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Midfielder Marco Carrizales led the attack with two shots, but midfielder Brian Madden was the player to land it on goal with his one shot of the game.

‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘The score didn’t reflect the game. It was 1-0 for a lot of the game, but the roof caved in [at the end]. It was disappointing for sure,’ head coach Joe Luxbacher said.

‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Virginia Tech was awarded a penalty kick in the 15th minute of play for its first goal of the game, and midfielder Peer Rogge blasted the penalty kick past Panther goalie Justin Lowery.

‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Pitt was able to hold the Hokies scoreless until the 54th minute of play, when Virginia Tech midfielder Greg Roach scored after a Panther player deflected it.

‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ The second goal opened the floodgates as Virginia Tech continued to score the rest of its six goals. Each of the remaining four goals scored by the Hokies came within ten minutes of the next.

‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Virginia Tech’s third goal was passed into the box by forward Bobby O’Brien and finished by Roach for his second goal of the game in the 69th minute of play. Soon after that, the Hokies repeated the same play with a cross by Rogge and the goal from defensemen Lasse Mertins.

‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Pitt’s defense collapsed allowing the ball to be played across the goal untouched by a Panther player for both the fifth and sixth goals. Eric Vickers scored the fifth goal in the 85th minute followed shortly by defensemen Greg Hermandorfer’s goal in the 89th for the final goal of the game.

‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Lowery saved two of the Hokies’ shots, but was scored on four times in his 84 minutes in the game. Backup goalkeeper Jason Cooke finished the game in goal, saving one and allowing the final two to be scored.

‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Pitt’s season comes to and end Nov. 2 at home against Syracuse at 1 p.m.

‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘Neither team has the tournament to play for, but we both have pride to play for,’ Luxbacher said. ‘They’re a good team, but they’ve had some bad luck this year. It should be a good game.