Last Night In #BEfútbol – Friars Advance In NCAAs
NEW YORK – BIG EAST men’s soccer went 1-1 on the first night of competition in the NCAA tournament. Providence, ranked 21st nationally in the latest United Soccer Coaches poll, shut out visiting N.J.I.T., 2-0 to advance. Butler, receiving votes, lost 5-1 to West Virginia.
Providence (15-6-0) will play at No. 15 seed Penn State on Sunday in the second round of the NCAA tournament. No. 3 seed Georgetown, ranked second nationally, will welcome Pitt at noon on the same day and No. 16 seed St. John’s, ranked 14th nationally, will host Syracuse at 5 p.m.
Providence 2, N.J.I.T. 0
Trevor Davock scored his fifth goal this season and Esben Wolf scored his fourth. With the win the Friars improve to 10-7-1 all time in NCAA Tournament action, including a 7-3-1 mark under Head Coach Craig Stewart. In the tenth minute, Trevor Davock delivered a side volley from Christopher Roman to the back left of the net, past the goaltender to give the Friars and early 1-0 lead. The Friars scored the insurance goal in the 65th minute. Wolf slotted home his shot in the lower right of the net to make it a 2-0 Friars' lead. Griffin and Davock assisted the play. Providence held NJIT without a shot until the 68th minute. Providence outshot NJIT 17-11 and held the advantage in corner kicks, 8-4. Austin Aviza recorded his ninth shutout on the season with two saves.
West Virginia 5, Butler 1
Butler's 2019 campaign came to an end Thursday night at the Sellick Bowl in Indianapolis as the Bulldogs dropped a 5-1 decision to West Virginia in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The result leaves the Bulldogs at 11-7-2 on the season. In Thursday's match, West Virginia was able to get on the board first as a handball in the box in the third minute set up a penalty kick for the visiting Mountaineers. Rodrigo Robles Grajera converted it for a 1-0 lead. The Bulldogs leveled the match in the 21st minute as Rhys Myers headed in a Joel Harvey corner kick. It was Myers' first goal in a Butler uniform. West Virginia took a lead that would not relinquish with a tally in the 36th minute as Andres Muriel Albino scored off a Tsubasa Takada assist. The Mountaineers would take that 2-1 lead into the halftime break. West Virginia was able to break through in the 81st minute with a goal, and followed that with another 30 seconds later for a 4-1 lead. An additional goal came in the 84th minute. Butler keeper Gabriel Gjergji made 10 saves on the night as WVU had a 21-6 shot advantage. The Bulldogs graduate a senior class that includes Brandon Guhl and his 29 career goals, All-BIG EAST performer Jared Timmer, captain Alex Lehtinen, three-year starter Derek Sutton, and Maurice Thompson III. However, Butler will return a talented nucleus for the 2020 season led by BIG EAST Freshman of the Year Wilmer Cabrera, Jr., All-BIG EAST honoree Jack Haywood, Gjergji, and others.
Recent Results
Thursday, Nov. 21
West Virginia 5, RV Butler 1
Providence 2, N.J.I.T. 0
Upcoming #BEfútbol Schedule
Sunday, Nov. 24
Pitt at No. 3 Georgetown, Noon ^
Syracuse at No. 16 St. John’s, 5 p.m.
Providence at No. 15 Penn State, 5 p.m.
^ Games will be streamed via the BIG EAST Digital Network presented by SoFi