Records Fall in 6-0 Win over USF
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (August 30, 2015) – The West Virginia University men’s soccer team scored six goals, including two in less than two minutes, to beat San Francisco 6-0 on Sunday afternoon at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
Sophomore midfielder Joey Piatczyc had a WVU-record four assists to help the Mountaineers (1-1) to their highest scoring game in the Marlon LeBlanc era. The last time WVU recorded six or more goals was in 1998, a 7-0 win at Duquesne. At home, it had been 24 years since West Virginia earned an 8-0 victory over St. Joseph’s, 13 seasons before Dick Dlesk Stadium opened.
“Our guys came out and showed a lot of what we’ve been talking about all season in terms of what this team can be,” LeBlanc said. “San Francisco is a well-coached and talented team that is picked to win the West Coast Conference.”
The offensive explosion was headlined by Piatczyc and senior Jamie Merriam, who had a personal-best two goals and two assists. In WVU history, 14 players had tallied three assists in a game, but Piatczyc became the first to record four helpers in a contest.
Merriam’s two goals both came in the first 7:27 of the game and just 1:57 seconds apart. After the offense couldn’t find the back of the net in the season opener on Friday, Sunday’s offensive outburst was just what LeBlanc, and the team, was looking for as an answer.
“On Friday, we created a number of chances but didn’t take our chances all that well,” LeBlanc said. “The big difference today was that we took advantage of our chances and scored two goals in the first eight minutes. When you score early it changes the dynamic of the game. This is a good soccer team we have here and I think they showed that today.”
Junior Mike Desiderio, senior Ryan Cain, sophomore Jack Driscoll and freshman Rushawn Larmond also scored for the Mountaineers. Driscoll and Larmond’s goals where the first of their careers.
The offense had 19 shots, eight on goal. The offensive production was spread out among five players that scored, seven that recorded at least one shot on goal and 10 that posted at least one shot.
The West Virginia defense was just as good, holding San Francisco to just three shots on goal. The first didn’t come until the 38th minute. In goal, junior Daniel Diaz played 71:07 and did not face a shot on goal to earn his first win as a Mountaineer. Freshman Alec Boerner came in to play the final 18:53 and also did not see a shot.
Merriam got West Virginia on the scoreboard for the first time in 2015 in the sixth minute. The senior picked up a pass from Piatczyc 10 yards out to convert his first goal of the game. Senior Zak Leedom also earned an assist on the play.
Just 1:57 later, at 7:27, Merriam found the back of the net again to give WVU a 2-0 edge. Piatczyc again found Merriam, this time off a corner kick for Merriam to head it in.
The lead grew to 3-0 in the 36th minute when Desiderio buried his first of the season from freshman Tucker Stephenson off of a free kick. Stephenson picked up his first assist of his career.
The Mountaineers came out firing to start the second half, and three minutes in, Cain scored to put WVU up 4-0. The goal, a header off of a cross, was started by Piatczyc on a corner kick before the cross from Desiderio.
At 63:40, Driscoll connected for his first career goal. It was a nifty play from the sophomore as he sidestepped the USF goaltender 10 yards out and buried it into the empty net. Piatczyc and senior Zac Leedom registered assists on the play.
West Virginia’s final goal came in the 89th minute when Larmond converted a breakaway opportunity. The pass from junior Felix Angerer came behind the defense and Larmond picked it up to give WVU a 6-0 cushion. Sophomore Heath Honold also earned an assist on the play.
Up next for the Mountaineers is a pair of road matches against Big Ten competition in Michigan. WVU faces Michigan on Sept. 4 at 4 p.m. in Ann Arbor before a Labor Day matchup with Michigan State on Sept. 7 at 4 p.m. in East Lansing.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUMensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (August 30, 2015) – The West Virginia University men’s soccer team scored six goals, including two in less than two minutes, to beat San Francisco 6-0 on Sunday afternoon at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
Sophomore midfielder Joey Piatczyc had a WVU-record four assists to help the Mountaineers (1-1) to their highest scoring game in the Marlon LeBlanc era. The last time WVU recorded six or more goals was in 1998, a 7-0 win at Duquesne. At home, it had been 24 years since West Virginia earned an 8-0 victory over St. Joseph’s, 13 seasons before Dick Dlesk Stadium opened.
“Our guys came out and showed a lot of what we’ve been talking about all season in terms of what this team can be,” LeBlanc said. “San Francisco is a well-coached and talented team that is picked to win the West Coast Conference.”
The offensive explosion was headlined by Piatczyc and senior Jamie Merriam, who had a personal-best two goals and two assists. In WVU history, 14 players had tallied three assists in a game, but Piatczyc became the first to record four helpers in a contest.
Merriam’s two goals both came in the first 7:27 of the game and just 1:57 seconds apart. After the offense couldn’t find the back of the net in the season opener on Friday, Sunday’s offensive outburst was just what LeBlanc, and the team, was looking for as an answer.
“On Friday, we created a number of chances but didn’t take our chances all that well,” LeBlanc said. “The big difference today was that we took advantage of our chances and scored two goals in the first eight minutes. When you score early it changes the dynamic of the game. This is a good soccer team we have here and I think they showed that today.”
Junior Mike Desiderio, senior Ryan Cain, sophomore Jack Driscoll and freshman Rushawn Larmond also scored for the Mountaineers. Driscoll and Larmond’s goals where the first of their careers.
The offense had 19 shots, eight on goal. The offensive production was spread out among five players that scored, seven that recorded at least one shot on goal and 10 that posted at least one shot.
The West Virginia defense was just as good, holding San Francisco to just three shots on goal. The first didn’t come until the 38th minute. In goal, junior Daniel Diaz played 71:07 and did not face a shot on goal to earn his first win as a Mountaineer. Freshman Alec Boerner came in to play the final 18:53 and also did not see a shot.
Merriam got West Virginia on the scoreboard for the first time in 2015 in the sixth minute. The senior picked up a pass from Piatczyc 10 yards out to convert his first goal of the game. Senior Zak Leedom also earned an assist on the play.
Just 1:57 later, at 7:27, Merriam found the back of the net again to give WVU a 2-0 edge. Piatczyc again found Merriam, this time off a corner kick for Merriam to head it in.
The lead grew to 3-0 in the 36th minute when Desiderio buried his first of the season from freshman Tucker Stephenson off of a free kick. Stephenson picked up his first assist of his career.
The Mountaineers came out firing to start the second half, and three minutes in, Cain scored to put WVU up 4-0. The goal, a header off of a cross, was started by Piatczyc on a corner kick before the cross from Desiderio.
At 63:40, Driscoll connected for his first career goal. It was a nifty play from the sophomore as he sidestepped the USF goaltender 10 yards out and buried it into the empty net. Piatczyc and senior Zac Leedom registered assists on the play.
West Virginia’s final goal came in the 89th minute when Larmond converted a breakaway opportunity. The pass from junior Felix Angerer came behind the defense and Larmond picked it up to give WVU a 6-0 cushion. Sophomore Heath Honold also earned an assist on the play.
Up next for the Mountaineers is a pair of road matches against Big Ten competition in Michigan. WVU faces Michigan on Sept. 4 at 4 p.m. in Ann Arbor before a Labor Day matchup with Michigan State on Sept. 7 at 4 p.m. in East Lansing.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUMensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
