MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (Nov. 10, 2024) – The No. 10 West Virginia University men’s soccer team came back from a two-goal deficit against Georgia Southern in the Sun Belt quarterfinals, taking down the Eagles, 3-2, on a rainy Sunday afternoon at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium. The Mountaineers improve to 11-1-6 while the Eagles finish the season at 6-7-4.
The top-seeded Mountaineers will move on the Sun Belt semifinals on Wednesday against the winner of the South Carolina and Kentucky match with kickoff set for 7 p.m.
The Mountaineers got goals from graduate student and Sun Belt Player of the Year Sergio Ors Navarro, senior Carlos Hernando, and junior Marcus Caldeira. Seniors Frederik Jorgensen and Dante Huckaby each collected assists as well.
Overall, West Virginia outshot the Eagles, 20-6, with shots on goal even at four. The Mountaineers also had an 11-1 advantage in corner kicks.
Georgia Southern jumped out to the lead in the 36th minute before earning a penalty less than a minute later. Redshirt-senior Marc Bonnaire made the initial save, but Zachary Martin knocked in the rebound for his second goal in 54 seconds.
It looked like the Mountaineers would head into the half down a pair of goals, but with 10 seconds left, freshman Isaac Scheer was tripped up by the Eagle goalkeeper in the box to earn a penalty. Caldeira stepped up to the spot and buried his ninth goal of the season.
West Virginia came out firing in the second half and found the equalizer in the 62nd minute as Jorgensen sent a corner kick toward the box where Hernando leaped up and headed it into the back of the net. It was the second goal of the defender’s career and first of the season.
In the 82nd minute, the Mountaineers took the lead as Huckaby crossed a ball into the box for Ors Navarro. He jumped and beat his defender to the ball, heading in the go-ahead goal, his 13th of the year.
Georgia Southern had one last chance in the 90th minute as Sun Belt Freshman of the Year Harvey Sarajian took a shot, but Bonnaire was there to make the save, not allowing any rebound opportunity.
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