Pitt snagged its first ACC win of the season with a 4-2 victory over Syracuse, catapulted by a hat trick by graduate student midfielder Arnau Vilamitjana.
Scoring first for the Panthers was gigantic.
Any soccer team wants to score first to set the tone. For Pitt, getting the first goal was imperative to their success. Before Vilamitjana netted a penalty kick at the 7:51 mark in the first half, Pitt had not scored a goal in its previous three games.
Conversely, a well-organized Syracuse defense had not given up a goal in its previous 380 minutes of play. Getting on the board early allowed the Panthers to play their game and regain confidence in their attack.
Pitt’s most dynamic players balled out.
Vilamitjana was a force on the field. The midfielder took his opportunities to get forward and put himself in good positions. Vilamitjana now has a team-leading eight goals on the season.
Vilamitjana is a focal point of the Panther attack because of his strength, speed and stature. If Vilamitjana continues his dominant presence in the Panthers’ attack, they can create and convert scoring chances.
Junior forward Albert Thorsen — who had five goals all of last season — was also a bright spot for Pitt, as he scored Pitt’s second goal off a great direct ball by sophomore defender Niklas Soerensen. Thorsen, who now has two goals on the season, did a great job of staying onside and calmly slotting the back of the net. When the Panthers can convert long passes to their forwards, they get good scoring chances.
The Panthers can use this win to build momentum going forward.
This game was a must-win for the Panthers, as they came into the contest winless in ACC play. Pitt showed resilience even when Syracuse responded. There was no panic. Even when Syracuse tied it 1-1 early in the first half and made it 3-2 early in the second half, the Panthers continued to play their game.
They tallied ten shots on goal and continued to pressure the Orange. At times, the Panthers were too passive in the attack this season, always looking for the perfect opportunity. This game proved that if the team puts shots on goal and forces opposing goalies to make saves, good things can happen.
Pitt can use this game as a blueprint for how it wants to play in its remaining ACC regular season games against Wake Forest and Louisville.
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