Aug. 29, 2008
Box Score
Morgantown, W. Va. - Sophomore Stephen Macurdy's goal with less than nine minutes to play gave the Lafayette men's soccer team a 1-0 lead en route to a 1-0 upset of No. 15 West Virginia in the team's season opener. Macurdy's goal, the first of his collegiate career, was the lone score of the game as the Leopards kicked off their 2008 campaign with a shut out win on the opening day of the West Virginia Tournament.
Seven different Leopards had at least one shot in the contest, with sophomore B.J. Glenn and senior Chip Aronica taking two apiece. The Mountaineers out shot the Leopards 16-10 but the Lafayette defense, helped by five saves from sophomore goalie Andrew Pianko, kept West Virginia off the scoreboard.
The Lafayette offense managed just three first half shots but Pianko stopped three shots in the opening period to keep the game scoreless at halftime. Pianko made his first stop with 7:48 on the clock on a shot by Declan Coll. Lafayette had its first look at the goal with a header by Justin Kamine but it sailed high of the goal.
Steve Ference forced West Virginia goalie Zach Johnson to make his first save of the night at 28:38. The Mountaineers had the first half's final scoring attempt with a header by Alex Yost that sailed wide of goal.
The Leopards came out strong to start the second half as Glenn took a shot less than a minute into the period but it was stopped by Johnson. Lafayette fired off two shots in less than 20 seconds with a header by Matt Reichenbach at 67:37 and a shot by Glenn at 67:55 but Johnson made a save on Reichenbach's shot and Glenn's went wide to keep the game scoreless.
Lafayette continued to attack, forcing Johnson to make four saves within the first 35 minutes of the half. The pressure paid off when Macurdy fired a shot at 81:22 that got past Johnson to give the Leopards a 1-0 lead with less than nine minutes to play.
West Virginia managed two shots in the final two minutes as the Mountaineers tried to tie the game but the first was blocked and the second went high to preserve Lafayette's upset victory.
The Leopards play their final game of the tournament on Sunday against Binghamton at 11 a.m.
Postgame Notes:
- Lafayette has now won three straight season openers.
- Tonight's win evened the all-time series with West Virginia at 1-1.
- The Leopards dealt West Virginia just its fourth home loss in the last two seasons.
- West Virginia had not been shut out since Oct. 16 of last season
