Marshall University Athletics
Sunday, November 3
Huntington, W.Va.
3:00 PM
Marshall University
-1223, 411 CUSA
1
vs
0
Kentucky
-1033, 321 CUSA
1
2
F
Kentucky
0
0
0
Marshall
0
1
1
Photo by: Adam Gue
No. 20 Men’s Soccer Blanks No. 15 Kentucky in Front of Record Crowd on Senior Day
11/3/2019 8:16:00 PM | Men's Soccer
Westmeyer scored lone goal before 2,032 fans at Hoops Family Field
Box Score (PDF)
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A record crowd of 2,032 at Hoops Family Field was on hand to watch the 20th ranked Marshall men's soccer team shutout No. 15 Kentucky Wildcats, 1-0, Sunday afternoon on Senior Day. Senior Jonas Westmeyer scored the lone goal.
The Thundering Herd improved to 12-2-3 overall and 4-1-1 in Conference USA. The Wildcats move to 10-3-3 and 3-2-1 in conference action.
"It was a well fought match, they (Kentucky) are an excellent team," Herd head coach Chris Grassie said. "I thought our guys executed perfectly. Tactically, I thought we did a great job. Obviously we were missing a few guys and big misses, so we had to adapt and change our system a little bit but it seemed to suit us.
"I told the guys before the game that this is going to be won on jabs, not punches. It is going to be who executes the details more consistently and we did that. We had the one goal and they still fought. There was a period there where we were under their pressure a good bit, but I thought the guys did an excellent job.
"This was one of the best atmospheres I have ever been involved with in college soccer. I thought it was amazing today."
The match was the first in Marshall soccer history that pit two top 25 teams against each other in Huntington. And the crowd was lively throughout the entire match.
Prior to the contest the Herd's 2019 senior class of Paulo Pita, Carlos Diaz-Salcedo, Jonas Westmeyer, Illal Osmanu and Bryce Notardonato were honored and received a resounding ovation from the record crowd.
In the first half, Marshall began on the attack and held possession for the majority of the first 10 to 15 minutes. Kentucky then made the adjustment and put the pressure on the Herd's defense. Pita and the Marshall D made an incredible save and then clearing in the 13th minute as the ball was knocked around off several players from point-blank range inside the six-yard box. The Wildcats had seven more shots through the remainder of the first half with Pita recording saves on two more, Osmanu making a great sliding block on one and the others going wide or high.
The teams went in at the break deadlocked at a scoreless tie. Kentucky totaled eight shots to Marshall's three and the Herd was unable to get any shots on goal. Pita tallied the save on all three of the Wildcats shots on goal.
In the second half, Marshall had an opportunity as Westmeyer fired a shot off a free kick in the 49th minute. However, Enrique Facusse the keeper for Kentucky was there to make the stop. Both teams traded shots in the half and Pita recorded his fourth save of the day in the 59th minute making another leaping stop.
In the 64th minute, redshirt freshman Milo Yosef got off on a breakaway down the right sideline and took the ball near the endline. Yosef then fired a cross toward the six-yard box that Westmeyer was able to put his boot on the pass and tap it into the net. It was Westmeyer's fourth goal of the season and seventh of his Herd career. For Yosef it was his third assist of the season as he continues to lead the team in points with now 25.
Marshall led 1-0 with 26 minutes and two seconds left in regulation.
The Herd defense continued to play at a high level as the Wildcats kept pushing, but Marshall was able to clear the ball away from Pita and the net. The redshirt senior keeper made one more save with just 23 seconds remaining and then sent the ball flying downfield to preserve the victory.
Marshall earned its 12th win of the season, the most since the 2001 squad that finished 12-7-0. It was also the Herd's first win over a ranked opponent since defeating No. 21 Kentucky in Huntington, also 1-0, back on Oct. 14, 2017.
Pita finished the match with five spectacular saves in recording his sixth shutout of the season. Fellow seniors Osmanu and Diaz-Salcedo played great defense all match to help hold off a Kentucky squad that had scored 11 goals in its last two matches. And of course Westmeyer, another senior, scored the lone goal in the victory.
Marshall heads back out on the road for one final regular season match at No. 13 FIU on Friday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. The Herd needs a win at FIU to move ahead of the Charlotte 49ers in the standings and claim the number-one overall seed in the Conference USA Tournament, as well as win the C-USA Regular Season Title. The C-USA Tournament will be hosted by Old Dominion in Norfolk, Va., and takes place Nov. 13-17.
For all of the latest information on the Marshall men's soccer team, follow the Herd on Twitter @HerdMSoccer, Facebook at Marshall University Soccer and on www.herdzone.com.
To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules, and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS or Android!
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A record crowd of 2,032 at Hoops Family Field was on hand to watch the 20th ranked Marshall men's soccer team shutout No. 15 Kentucky Wildcats, 1-0, Sunday afternoon on Senior Day. Senior Jonas Westmeyer scored the lone goal.
The Thundering Herd improved to 12-2-3 overall and 4-1-1 in Conference USA. The Wildcats move to 10-3-3 and 3-2-1 in conference action.
"It was a well fought match, they (Kentucky) are an excellent team," Herd head coach Chris Grassie said. "I thought our guys executed perfectly. Tactically, I thought we did a great job. Obviously we were missing a few guys and big misses, so we had to adapt and change our system a little bit but it seemed to suit us.
"I told the guys before the game that this is going to be won on jabs, not punches. It is going to be who executes the details more consistently and we did that. We had the one goal and they still fought. There was a period there where we were under their pressure a good bit, but I thought the guys did an excellent job.
"This was one of the best atmospheres I have ever been involved with in college soccer. I thought it was amazing today."
The match was the first in Marshall soccer history that pit two top 25 teams against each other in Huntington. And the crowd was lively throughout the entire match.
Prior to the contest the Herd's 2019 senior class of Paulo Pita, Carlos Diaz-Salcedo, Jonas Westmeyer, Illal Osmanu and Bryce Notardonato were honored and received a resounding ovation from the record crowd.
In the first half, Marshall began on the attack and held possession for the majority of the first 10 to 15 minutes. Kentucky then made the adjustment and put the pressure on the Herd's defense. Pita and the Marshall D made an incredible save and then clearing in the 13th minute as the ball was knocked around off several players from point-blank range inside the six-yard box. The Wildcats had seven more shots through the remainder of the first half with Pita recording saves on two more, Osmanu making a great sliding block on one and the others going wide or high.
The teams went in at the break deadlocked at a scoreless tie. Kentucky totaled eight shots to Marshall's three and the Herd was unable to get any shots on goal. Pita tallied the save on all three of the Wildcats shots on goal.
In the second half, Marshall had an opportunity as Westmeyer fired a shot off a free kick in the 49th minute. However, Enrique Facusse the keeper for Kentucky was there to make the stop. Both teams traded shots in the half and Pita recorded his fourth save of the day in the 59th minute making another leaping stop.
In the 64th minute, redshirt freshman Milo Yosef got off on a breakaway down the right sideline and took the ball near the endline. Yosef then fired a cross toward the six-yard box that Westmeyer was able to put his boot on the pass and tap it into the net. It was Westmeyer's fourth goal of the season and seventh of his Herd career. For Yosef it was his third assist of the season as he continues to lead the team in points with now 25.
Marshall led 1-0 with 26 minutes and two seconds left in regulation.
The Herd defense continued to play at a high level as the Wildcats kept pushing, but Marshall was able to clear the ball away from Pita and the net. The redshirt senior keeper made one more save with just 23 seconds remaining and then sent the ball flying downfield to preserve the victory.
Marshall earned its 12th win of the season, the most since the 2001 squad that finished 12-7-0. It was also the Herd's first win over a ranked opponent since defeating No. 21 Kentucky in Huntington, also 1-0, back on Oct. 14, 2017.
Pita finished the match with five spectacular saves in recording his sixth shutout of the season. Fellow seniors Osmanu and Diaz-Salcedo played great defense all match to help hold off a Kentucky squad that had scored 11 goals in its last two matches. And of course Westmeyer, another senior, scored the lone goal in the victory.
Marshall heads back out on the road for one final regular season match at No. 13 FIU on Friday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. The Herd needs a win at FIU to move ahead of the Charlotte 49ers in the standings and claim the number-one overall seed in the Conference USA Tournament, as well as win the C-USA Regular Season Title. The C-USA Tournament will be hosted by Old Dominion in Norfolk, Va., and takes place Nov. 13-17.
For all of the latest information on the Marshall men's soccer team, follow the Herd on Twitter @HerdMSoccer, Facebook at Marshall University Soccer and on www.herdzone.com.
To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules, and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS or Android!
---HerdZone.com---
Team Stats
117356
MAR
Goals
0
1
Shots
12
6
Shots on Goal
5
2
Saves
1
5
Corners
4
3
Fouls
15
14
Scoring Plays
WESTMEYER, Jonas (4)
Assisted By: YOSEF, Milo
Quick tap off the cross from the right s
63:58
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
3
SOG
2
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
0
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
Shots
2
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
D
/ Men's Soccer
GK
/ Men's Soccer
D
/ Men's Soccer
GK
/ Men's SoccerMF
/ Men's SoccerF
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