MORGANTOWN—The West Virginia men’s soccer team is on a mission to return to the College Cup, where its 2023 campaign ended last season against Clemson in the National Semifinals.
That mission began on a brisk, snowy Thursday night at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium as the Mountaineers (13-1-7) defeated visiting North Florida 2-1 in the first round of the 2024 NCAA men’s soccer Tournament.
Fifth-year senior Sergio Ors Navarro scored the opening goal of the contest in the 27th minute, nodding home a cross from Felix Ewald with his head.
Junior Marcus Caldeira doubled the lead with a laser into the far corner after collecting a rebound from an attempt by Isaac Scheer in the 79th minute of the second half.
The Ospreys (7-8-4) found a goal to cut the lead in half with less than five minutes remaining in the game but could not earn the equalizer.
WVU advances to the second round of the tournament and will visit 11-seed Virginia in Charlottesville, Va, on Sunday at 5:00 p.m.
“I think sometimes the first game of the tournament can feel like the hardest, so we’re pleased to be going through,” WVU head coach Dan Stratford said. “We knew what they (North Florida) were about and that they had an excellent second half of the season. When you play a team like that, you have to accept that you may not have the ball as much as you would probably want. We know we’re in this part of the tournament with our draw, which is a real grind, but we’re prepared, and it’s nothing this team isn’t up for.”
The Mountaineers nearly took an early advantage just 13 minutes into the match after a solid build-up play produced a dangerous chance for Ewlad. However, UNF goalkeeper Luciano Natoli made an excellent save to keep the score clean.
Fourteen minutes later, Ors Navarro headed home the opening goal of the evening, his 15th of the season. He becomes the first men’s soccer player to score 15 goals in 29 years.
“Sergio has had a fantastic and consistent season for us,” Stratford said. “Marcus also scored in double figures in two consecutive seasons; I doubt that’s happened for a while either. It’s the richest thing in soccer to have someone scoring goals, and for the second year in a row, we have two players doing it.”
Caldeira scored his tenth goal of the 2024 campaign with just under 10 minutes to play in regulation, as he collected a rebounded save at the far post before one-timing an effort into the far corner of the net, doubling the lead.
His goal proved vital as the Ospreys found a breakthrough in the 86th minute to cut the lead to 2-1 but could not equalize in time.
WVU will have a quick turnaround as it prepares to battle 11th-seeded Cavaliers on Sunday at 5:00 p.m.
“It isn’t anything we aren’t used to,” Caldeira said. “We thrive for these situations and know that no matter what is ahead of us, we have to do our job and get it done. I think we just feel grateful to be playing another game, and once we step out on that field and the adrenaline takes over, we will be ready for anything.”
