HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (Nov. 12, 2023) – The No. 5 West Virginia University men’s soccer team dropped the Sun Belt Championship final, 3-2, to No. 1 Marshall, Sunday afternoon at Hoops Family Field. The Mountaineers fall to 14-2-4 on the season while the Herd go to 17-2-0.
Senior Sergio Ors Navarro scored both goals for the Mountaineers, finding the back of the net twice in the first half. Each goal put WVU out in front, but Marshall had an answer on both occasions before securing the game-winner in the 77th minute.
Marshall outshot the Mountaineers, 17-10, including a 6-4 edge in shots on goal. The Herd also had a 9-3 advantage in corner kicks.
Ors Navarro, senior Yutaro Tsukada, and senior Luke McCormick were named to the All-Tournament team after they each scored multiple goals in the three games this week.
In front of 3,151 fans, West Virginia quieted the crowd in the 18th minute as a free kick into the box bounced around before finding the foot of Ors Navarro, who sent a screamer into the top-right corner of the net. Junior Max Broughton and senior Brayden Borutskie were credited with assists on the goal.
Marshall responded in the 25th minute with a goal by Alvaro Garcia-Pascual, the Most Outstanding Player of the Tournament.
Just six minutes later, the Mountaineers retook the lead as senior Ryan Baer sent a perfect through ball to Ors Navarro, who slotted it past the keeper with his left foot.
The lead was short-lived once again as Marshall evened up the match in the 36th minute.
Possession went back-and-forth in in the second half until Garcia-Pascual got behind the WVU defense in the 77th minute and chipped a shot over Jackson Lee and into the back of the net.
The Mountaineers had a couple of chances in the final 10 minutes as Ors Navarro and Tsukada each had shots on goal, but both times the ball went safely into the hands of the Marshall goalkeeper.
West Virginia will now turn its attention to the NCAA Tournament with the selection show set for Monday afternoon at 1 p.m. The top 16 teams will receive a bye and will begin play on Sunday, Nov. 19 at home. The Mountaineers currently sit at No. 6 in the RPI.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUMensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Senior Sergio Ors Navarro scored both goals for the Mountaineers, finding the back of the net twice in the first half. Each goal put WVU out in front, but Marshall had an answer on both occasions before securing the game-winner in the 77th minute.
Marshall outshot the Mountaineers, 17-10, including a 6-4 edge in shots on goal. The Herd also had a 9-3 advantage in corner kicks.
Ors Navarro, senior Yutaro Tsukada, and senior Luke McCormick were named to the All-Tournament team after they each scored multiple goals in the three games this week.
In front of 3,151 fans, West Virginia quieted the crowd in the 18th minute as a free kick into the box bounced around before finding the foot of Ors Navarro, who sent a screamer into the top-right corner of the net. Junior Max Broughton and senior Brayden Borutskie were credited with assists on the goal.
Marshall responded in the 25th minute with a goal by Alvaro Garcia-Pascual, the Most Outstanding Player of the Tournament.
Just six minutes later, the Mountaineers retook the lead as senior Ryan Baer sent a perfect through ball to Ors Navarro, who slotted it past the keeper with his left foot.
The lead was short-lived once again as Marshall evened up the match in the 36th minute.
Possession went back-and-forth in in the second half until Garcia-Pascual got behind the WVU defense in the 77th minute and chipped a shot over Jackson Lee and into the back of the net.
The Mountaineers had a couple of chances in the final 10 minutes as Ors Navarro and Tsukada each had shots on goal, but both times the ball went safely into the hands of the Marshall goalkeeper.
West Virginia will now turn its attention to the NCAA Tournament with the selection show set for Monday afternoon at 1 p.m. The top 16 teams will receive a bye and will begin play on Sunday, Nov. 19 at home. The Mountaineers currently sit at No. 6 in the RPI.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUMensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
