The University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg men's soccer team suffered a 4-0 setback against Mount Aloysius College on Tuesday evening at Kelly Field in Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) action.
With the loss, the Bobcats move to 7-3-3 overall and 2-1-0 in conference play, while the Mounties improve to 5-5-3 overall and 3-0-0 in the AMCC.
Mount Aloysius struck early, taking a 1-0 lead in the eighth minute when Axel Qvarnstroem found the back of the net off an assist from Zack Marshfield.
Pitt-Greensburg head coach Marc Bucci acknowledged the challenges of playing on the road against the Mounties, particularly the energy surrounding the matchup.
"They're always energized for our games, which we can take as a sign of respect," Bucci said. "I think the night games add a little extra that unfortunately we couldn't match."
The Bobcats battled to keep the deficit at one throughout the remainder of the opening half. Goalkeeper Nick Braun made a save to help keep Pitt-Greensburg within striking distance, while Ethan Rose registered the Bobcats' first shot on goal in the 40th minute, forcing a save from Mount Aloysius goalkeeper Sam Denchfield.
Trailing 1-0 at halftime, Pitt-Greensburg looked to generate more offensive opportunities in the second half. Cam Loveland put a shot on target in the 64th minute, but Denchfield was there to make the stop.
The Mounties extended their advantage in the 67th minute when Gonzalo Terricabris scored an unassisted goal to make it 2-0.
Bucci pointed to the early deficit as a key factor in the Bobcats' inability to establish their offensive rhythm.
"We've been strong at finishing the few chances we have during games, but playing behind so early caused us to get out of sync," Bucci said. "We have to be a more resilient team to really make teams work for their goals, and the first we gave up was a soft one."
Pitt-Greensburg continued to push forward, earning a corner kick in the 76th minute after Caleb Kullen sent a shot just wide of the target.
Mount Aloysius added two late goals to put the match out of reach. Rasmus Andersson scored in the 79th minute off an assist from Marshfield before Hugo Olausson Ljungmark capped the scoring in the 85th minute, assisted by Andersson.
The Bobcats finished with three shots, including two on goal, while Mount Aloysius recorded 14 shots and seven on target. Rose, Loveland and Kullen each registered a shot for Pitt-Greensburg, with Rose and Loveland accounting for the team's two shots on goal.
Braun played all 90 minutes in net for the Bobcats, finishing with three saves. Pitt-Greensburg also earned two corner kicks, both coming in the second half.
Despite the difficult result, Bucci remains confident in his team's ability to regroup ahead of another important conference matchup Saturday.
"I'm hoping the extra day helps us recover after this difficult evening, but I don't have concerns that this scoreline will humble us as we prepare for Saturday," Bucci said.
The Bobcats will look to put Tuesday's result behind them and return to form as they return home Saturday to host Hilbert in AMCC play.
