Top-ranked Pitt secured its first-ever ACC Coastal Division championship with a 5-0 win over Virginia on Friday at Ambrose Urbana Field.
Pitt (13-2, 5-1 ACC spring) bookended the first half with a goal just 3:02 into the match by Alexander Dexter and made it 2-0 with 15 seconds remaining in the first stanza to take a two-goal lead into the half. The Panthers outshot Virginia (7-8-1, 2-4-0 ACC spring) 9-1, and Virginia goalkeeper Alex Rando made all three of his saves in the first 45 minutes of action.
The goal by Dexter was the second quickest goal by a Virginia opponent this season, only four seconds behind Valentin Noel’s goal in the first meeting against Pitt in the fall.
The Panthers put the game out of reach in the second half with two goals 1:31 minute span beginning in the 67th minute. Bertin Jacquesson curled a free kick over the Virginia wall for the third goal of the match and Filip Mirkovic made it a four-goal game with third goal of the season. Pitt scored for the last time with 22 seconds left in the match, a header by Bryce Washington.
The Cavaliers and Panthers were even in the second half with six shot attempts apiece. Two of the six shots for Virginia landed on target while three of Pitt’s on frame attempts landed in the back of the net.
As the Coastal Division champion, Pitt will play Clemson on April 17 in the ACC Championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
The loss for the Cavaliers snaps a five-game unbeaten streak against top-ranked foes.
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