Vermont stuns Pitt in quarterfinals of NCAA men’s soccer tournament
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Vermont advanced to the first final four in program history and spoiled No. 2 Pitt’s hopes of a national title in the regional final, defeating the Panthers, 2-0, on Saturday at Ambrose Urbanic Field.
The Panthers dominated possession in the first half and were on the attack the majority of the game. Nonetheless, the Catamounts got the bounce they needed.
In the 51st minute, Vermont’s Maximilian Kissel capitalized on a Pitt turnover to take a 1-0 lead. On a pass out of bounds from Albert Thorsen, Guilherme Feitosa misplayed it, whiffing on the kick and leaving Kissel alone with goalkeeper Cabral Carter. Kissel blew it past him.
Pitt reamained on the attack throughout the match, but Vermont’s defense wouldn’t relent.
“Towards the end of the game, we knew that they’d like to play those internal passes, and if we could limit them to crosses from out wide, even with all our numbers in the box, that’s what we thought,” Vermont senior captain and defenseman Zach Barrett said. “If we can just limit it to that, we knew we’d be just fine.”
The Catamounts turned their defense into offense when Yaniv Bazini, the team leader in points, tallied a goal late to make it 2-0.
“Congratulations to Jay and his staff for an amazing season and a lot of success in their league and in the tournament,” Vermont coach Rob Dow said. “That’s a talented team that we had a tall order to come here and beat, but I’m really proud of our players for doing what it takes. They showed a lot of grit in the game defensively and then capitalized on important moments. Moments that we generated with our determination. At this time of the year, there’s nothing more I can ask for.”
Dow commended Barrett and the rest of the defense on shutting down the Panthers.
“It takes a village to defend,” Dow said. “Pitt is a really, really good attack team. I think they had every team that they played against in these types of positions in a game, and that shows how well they’re coached and how good they are on the ball. We knew this. We accepted it and sometimes that can hit your ego and you’re not going to want to do your job, but it’s a foundation of our team. … The foundation and our philosophy of our program is just simply do your job.”
The Catamounts did just that, and Barrett said the team’s will to win and its ability to keep a clean sheet is what earned a spot in the final four.
“I’m so proud,” Barrett said. “We have one more, one game at a time, but I’m proud of the group and all the boys, all the coaches, all the staff and everybody involved has played a part in getting us to this point. I’m just super proud to be a Catamount.”
Vermont keeper Niklas Herceg, who is sixth nationally with a .68 goals-against average, tallied his sixth shutout of the season.
The Panthers mustered 17 shots — seven on goal — but had nothing to show for it.
“He was excellent at covering his near post today,” Dow said. “For a big guy, that’s really difficult. … He’s playing beyond his ears, for sure, and that deserves it. He’s been through a lot of adversity breaking his finger Day 1 of preseason in warm up and getting them until basically the end of September. But he’s showing a lot of leadership back there.”
“It’s a tough loss for us,” Pitt coach Jay Vidovich said. “Great season. The senior group just did a wonderful job of raising the level and standard here, once again, with good soccer. You can see from the fans and from quality soccer out there, that was really well done. Good luck to my seniors who are graduating this week. All respect there. Congratulations to Vermont. Wishing them the best of luck.”
Vidovich said the turning point was the bad bounce early in the second half that led to Vermont striking first.
“I was very disappointed,” he said. “It was a key moment in the game. I think it couldn’t have worked out better for Vermont. It’s one of those things that it’s very difficult to play with 10 up against 11 in half a field. This is a tough break. It was a bad mistake, and we beat ourselves.”
The Panthers came close to knotting it up after the Vermont goal on a header from Michael Sullivan (Deer Lakes), but Herceg stoned Sullivan on a magnificent save.
Herceg continued to put on a show, shutting down a Feitosa shot aimed for the right corner in the 67th minute.
On a crucial corner kick in the 69th minute, Thorsen set up Arnau Vilamitjana from point blank, but the Catamount defense swarmed him and the 6-foot-6 Herceg stepped up and made another big save.
In the 75th minute, Casper Grening set up Luis Sahmkow, but Herceg, again, was there to shut him down.
“It’s not the first time the quality of these guys have shown and has brought in a crowd like that,” Vidovich said. “It’s really exciting. I know that the guys, they hurt from the fans, and they wanted to bring something else, but to find that support and the quality of soccer they played and the wins that they brought here.
“It’s been an exciting time for them in their career. They felt they had an obligation to the people who were in the stands, and I know they’re hurting right now that they sent him home with a loss. They certainly appreciate it, and I certainly do. They’re helping us put Pitt on the soccer map and collegiately to become one of the strongest programs in the country.”