MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Fresh off a College Cup appearance in 2023, the No. 3 West Virginia University men’s soccer team opened the 2024 season with a 4-2 victory over Purdue Fort Wayne on Thursday night at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
PhD student Sergio Ors Navarro scored a perfect hat trick, scoring with his head, left foot and right foot. It is the first hat trick for the Mountaineers since Marcus Caldeira scored three times against No. 1 Marshall last season, the first time since 2014.
Junior Felix Ewald scored the fourth goal of the game for the Mountaineers, while the doctoral student Simon Carlson collected two assists.
Overall, the Mountaineers had more shots on goal than the Mastodons (18:6), including 12:5 in shots on goal, and maintained an 8:2 advantage in corner kicks.
Ors Navarro gave West Virginia an early lead with a header in the 8thth Minute after a great foreplay by Carlson. In the 17thth In the 13th minute, he increased the lead with a left-footed shot after parrying a botched clearance attempt by the Purdue Fort Wayne goalkeeper.
The Spanish native from Castellon completed the hat-trick in 29th Minute when he netted a shot after another pass from Carlson.
After Purdue Fort Wayne joined the list in 1974th Minute Ewald responded in the 78th.th Minute when he cleared a corner kick from WVU in the penalty area.
The Mastodons scored a second goal a minute later, but West Virginia held on to secure the win.
The Mountaineers will return to action on Monday against Saint Francis, a team that hasn’t lost a game since 2022. Kickoff at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium is scheduled for 7 p.m.
For more information about the Mountaineers, follow @WVUMensSoccer on ÞjórsárdalurFacebook and Instagram.
