Pitt eliminates UCF, eases into NCAA soccer quarterfinals

Over much of the past two decades, Jay Vidovich has coached, analyzed and competed against some of the best men’s soccer teams in the NCAA.

He won a championship at Wake Forest in 2007 and 271 other games, plus five ACC championships, while leading his team into 13 NCAA Tournaments.

He knows a good team when he sees one, and — to steal a phrase — Pitt is it. Or as close to it as any team that has reached the tournament’s quarterfinal round can be.

That’s where the Panthers reside now after dismantling and exposing Central Florida’s defense in a 4-0 Sweet 16 victory Thursday at Wakemed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C.

The No. 2 seed Panthers (15-3), making only their fourth appearance in the tournament, will play Washington at 1 p.m. Monday in the first quarterfinal game in program history. It will mark the second time this spring a Pitt team played the Huskies with a trip to a Final Four at stake. Washington defeated Pitt’s volleyball team in an NCAA Regional Final last month.

”The reputation of the program is fantastic,” Vidovich said of Washington. “Their coach has them very well organized defensively. They try to get behind you, put balls in the box, create melees. A tremendously difficult team to play. They pose a lot of challenges. It will be just the opposite of what we saw (Thursday).”

With only three victories standing between Pitt and a national championship, Vidovich was asked how Pitt stacks up with the best he has seen.

“I think it’s right up there, to be honest with you,” he said. “Especially if we can continue the learning curve.”

To understand Vidovich’s point, you first must recognize Pitt’s success is not just Veljko Petrovic’s wizardry with a soccer ball on his foot. He scored two goals, including the first one 23 seconds into the game — the fastest goal in program history. It’s more than the ability to beat the goalkeeper that Alexander Dexter and ACC Offensive Player of the Year Valentin Noel have shown.

It’s also the team’s willingness to learn from experience, tend to their mistakes and ensure they don’t resurface.

In Pitt’s 6-1 victory against Monmouth in its first playoff game Sunday, the Panthers had to overcome a slow start that could have turned disastrous against another opponent. There were no such problems at the outset Thursday.

“The difference in the way we started against Monmouth to where we were (Thursday), that sometimes can take years or a season. Our guys figured it out after one game,” Pitt’s coach said.

Pitt put the mistake-prone Knights (9-4-1) in an early hole when Petkovic stole the ball from UCF defender Andres Hernandez Betancur at the edge of the goalkeeper box. Reacting quickly to the opportunity, Petkovic slipped the ball past goalkeeper Yannik Oettl for a 1-0 Pitt lead. Petkovic scored again to give the Panthers a 3-0 lead at halftime. Noel scored the only goal in the second half.

Pitt repeatedly found holes in the UCF defense by attacking with its front line players.

Pitt’s second goal was its most impressive — for two reasons.

Freshman Bertin Jacquesson sent a slick cross pass to Dexter, who turned it into his fifth goal in the past six games and second in the tournament.

Give Jacquesson credit. He has played well in this tournament while observing Ramadan with teammate Anas Amrani. From dawn to sunset, they are fasting, consuming no food or water.

“They’re doing great,” Vidovich said. “The biggest indication was in the Monmouth game when I pulled Bertin out. He got a little emotional. I told him, ‘I’m just trying to make sure you can make it through the game.’ He said, ‘I’ve been doing it for 15 years. I think I know how to do it.’

“They’ve experienced it before. They know how to deal with it. They’re focused on when and how they eat and when they sleep and take their rest and hydrate. They know how to negotiate it very well.”

Overall, except for a short spell early in the Monmouth game, Pitt has had no trouble scoring goals. The victory Thursday was a school-record 15th and the seventh time this season the Panthers scored four or more in a game (a total of 46).

“We’ve been pretty efficient in our goal scoring, so I’m not surprised,” Vidovich said. “But did I expect to have that many goals (10 in two games) at this time? No.”