Final Stats
Oct. 5, 2011
Contact: Tim Ertle
Follow CSU on TWITTER
Follow Men's Soccer on TWITTER
CSU Athletics on YouTube
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - An overtime goal from sophomore forward Jordan Hart, his second goal of the year and second career game-winner, helped Cleveland State defeat the host Pitt Panthers, 1-0, in non-league game on Wednesday (Oct. 5) night.
After knocking off Milwaukee on Saturday (Oct. 1), Cleveland State head soccer coach Ali Kazemaini talked about the importance of winning that game on the road, hoping it could parlay into his club gaining momentum and starting something special for the rest of the year.
It looked like that was the case on Wednesday as the Vikings turned in a solid effort on both ends of the pitch, limiting the Panthers to one shot on goal while testing Pitt goalkeeper Lee Johnston six times.
"This was a good team win," Kazemaini said. "I thought we played pretty well in every facet and on the road it's nice to get an effort like that. That's a game that could have gone either way but our guys pulled it out. You need to win games like that."
Junior defenseman Justin Mancine made the lone stop of the night for CSU, knocking a threatening ball away in the 10th minute. Viking goalkeeper Brad Stuver saw Pitt fire 11 other shots in his direction but none were on goal.
"I was pleased with the defense," Kazemaini said. "The defense played well, but it started at the other end. We really did a nice job tonight of controlling the ball and the tempo. We kept possession for a long time and it made the jobs of our defenders easier."
While Kazemaini was quick to credit his offense for making life easier for his defenders, it was the backline who sparked the lone goal.
Defenseman Zach Ellis-Hayden, fresh off of scoring his first career goal to earn the first two points of his CSU career in the win over Milwaukee, notched his third point in two games - and two years - when he assisted on Hart's goal. Ellis-Hayden sent the ball toward the net on the initial cross and defenseman Cameron Eisses headed a ball that was blocked by a Pitt defender. Hart came out of a scramble with possession of the ball and knocked it in on the far side for the clincher. Ellis-Hayden was credited with the lone assist.
Both teams recorded 12 shots in the game with CSU holding the edge, 6-1, in shots on goal. In a relatively clean game, the two teams combined for 17 fouls and the Panthers accrued one yellow card.
The Vikings will return to league play - and Krenzler Field - on Saturday (Oct. 8) night when they host Loyola at 7:00 p.m. The Ramblers are 2-7-1 overall and 0-2 in Horizon League play.
