PITTSBURGH – Sophomore forward Albert Thorson scored the game-winning goal in the 98th minute as Pitt secured its fourth NCAA Quarterfinal appearance in the past five seasons with a 3-2 win over Kansas City Sunday evening at Ambrose Urbanic Field.
Casper Grening netted a first half goal to help erase an early one-goal deficit and Arnau Vilamitjana scored for the second consecutive match as Pitt improved to 14-5-0 on the season. Vilamitjana along with Niklas Sorensen assists on Thorson’s game-winner.
The Panthers dominated the run of play throughout the contest 65 percent of the possession in the game. Much of Pitt’s time on the ball came on the attacking end of the field and resulted in a 22-5 shot advantage.
Kansas City got an early goal from Gabriele Galluccio in the sixth minute and erased a 2-1 Pitt lead with a set piece goal less than five minutes after Pitt had taken the lead in the second half. Julien Le Bourdoulous recorded assists on both goals for the Roos who concluded the season with a 14-5-3 record, while making their first NCAA Tournament.
FIRST HALF ACTION
- Kansas City struck first with a goal less than six minutes into play as Le Bourdoulous chipped in a ball to Elie Kisoka at the top of the box. Kisoka set Galluccio who slipped a low ball by a pair of Pitt defenders and past a diving Cabral Carter into the left corner of the net.
- Pitt found the equalizer in the 15th minute as Grening followed up a deflected cross attempt by Thorson and blasted home the loose ball near the right edge of the goal area for his sixth goal of the season.
- Thorson added a dangerous opportunity in the 26th minute with a right-footed strike from the right wing that forced a diving save by the Kansas City keeper Brandon McGaugh with Luis Sahmkow bearing down on the deflection across the box. Pitt played it short on the ensuing corner and Kansas City was able to clear a delayed cross to stymie the scoring threat.
- Pitt dominated possession throughout the half with 62 percent of the possession with 67 percent of its possession coming in the offensive end of the field.
SECOND HALF ACTION
- Pitt generated the first opportunity in the second half with three consecutive corners in the 56th minute but Felipe Mercado had a shot blocked away for a corner before a…
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