MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (Nov. 25, 2023) – The No. 5 West Virginia University men’s soccer team advanced to the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Tournament with a 2-1 victory over Vermont in the round of 16 on Saturday at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
It is the second quarterfinal appearance in three years for the Mountaineers and in the process pick up their 16th win of the season to set a new program record. The previous record of 15 was set in 2006 when the current coaching staff of Dan Stratford, Andy Wright, and Nick Noble suited up for WVU.
The Mountaineers will play the winner of the James Madison and Loyola Marymount third-round game on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 2 p.m. at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium. Tickets will go on sale at wvugame.com on Monday, Nov. 27 at 10 a.m.
Against the Catamounts on Saturday, junior Max Broughton scored the game-winner in the 82nd minute off a corner kick from junior Frederik Jorgensen. Senior Yutaro Tsukada scored the first goal of the game, his sixth in the last six games, off an assist by sophomore Marcus Caldeira.
Senior Jackson Lee made seven saves in goal, the most he has had during his two-year stint with West Virginia.
Vermont outshot the Mountaineers, 19-14, including an 8-3 advantage in shots on goal. WVU took six corner kicks while the Catamounts managed just one, the first conceded by the Mountaineers in the NCAA Tournament.
Tsukada got West Virginia on the board early, scoring in the fourth minute. He intercepted a Vermont pass around midfield that deflected to Caldeira, who sent a through ball up to a streaking Tsukada. The Tokyo native corralled the ball in the box, made one move past the keeper, and slotted it with his left foot into the back of the net.
The Catamounts answered in the 32nd minute on a goal by Carter Johnson.
Both teams had their chances in the second half until the Mountaineers broke through with less than 10 minutes remaining. Jorgensen took the corner and sent the ball toward the box where Broughton leaped and headed it past the keeper to put WVU out in front. It was the second goal of the season for Broughton and in similar fashion to his first, a game winner off a set piece in the 81st minute against UNC Greensboro earlier this season.
Lee had to make one more important save in the 89th minute, stopping a shot by Johnson from near the penalty spot to secure the victory.
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