Horton leads Virginia to 3-1 upset at No. 10 Pitt

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Lifted by a heroic five-point efficiency from veteran ahead Phil Horton, Virginia downed No. 10 Pitt by a rating of 3-1 at Ambrose Urbanic Discipline to file its second consecutive victory over top-10 opposition on Friday evening.

Targets (Assists)
1’ – Virginia: Phil Horton (Unassisted)
28’ – Pitt: Valentin Noel (Henrique Gallina)
61’ – Virginia: Reese Miller (Phil Horton, Leo Afonso)
73’ – Virginia: Phil Horton (Unassisted)

HOW IT HAPPENED

Virginia (7-3-0, 3-1-0 ACC) got here out swinging when within the first minute of play. Asparuh Slavov blasted a shot in direction of objective that bounced across the penalty space taking a number of deflections earlier than falling to Phil Horton who blasted it into the again of the web with simply 59 seconds off the clock.

As Pitt (5-3-1, 2-2-0) started to develop into the sport, a battle for the midfield started to happen as each groups struggled to dictate the play. With slightly below half an hour gone within the sport, Pitt discovered the equalizing objective as Noel Valentin curled one into the low nook. Although the Cavaliers can be awarded a penalty within the late phases of the primary half, the groups went into the break with the rating knotted at 1-1.

After coping with early stress from Pitt within the early phases of the second half, Virginia launched a counter-attack within the 61st minute. With a good looking piece of build-up play, Daniel Mangarov performed Phil Horton into the ultimate third who put an incisive go into Leo Afonso on the penalty spot. An clever flick arrange Reese Miller to attain his first profession objective and he didn’t miss his likelihood as he put the Cavaliers on high 2-1.

Within the 73rd minute of play, smothering stress from captain Leo Afonso pressured a poor again go from Pitt. With spectacular velocity, it was Phil Horton who tracked down the ball and fired into the again of the web to seal a 3-1 victory for Virginia.

FROM HEAD COACH GEORGE GELNOVATCH

“The previous two outcomes for this crew have come in opposition to a number of the greatest competitors on the market proper now. I’m actually pleased with our guys and the best way they proceed to battle. This has been a piece in progress all season and we’re simply trying to proceed to get higher each sport.”

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• Virginia information back-to-back victories over a top-10 opponent after taking down No. 3 Syracuse final week (9/24/22)
• The final time the Cavaliers defeated top-10 competitors in consecutive video games was within the 2019 ACC Match
• Virginia has received its third straight sport for the primary time for the reason that 2019 season
• The win strikes Virginia into first place within the ACC Coastal Division
• Phil Horton tallied two targets within the match, his 4 targets on the season rank second on the crew
• Reese Miller tallied his first profession objective that stood because the game-winner
• Miller turns into the twelfth totally different Cavalier to file a objective this season, a complete that’s second amongst ACC groups this season
• Afonso and Horton every recorded an help
• Horton’s 5 factors is a career-high and marks the primary time a Cavalier has tallied 5 factors or extra in a single match since Kome Ubogu achieved the feat in opposition to VCU (9/28/21)
• Horton’s brace marks the primary time all season {that a} Cavalier has scored twice in a single sport
• The Cavaliers hand Pittsburgh simply its fourth home-loss within the final 4 seasons
• Virginia defeats Pitt for the primary time in its final six makes an attempt
• The Cavaliers enhance to 8-4-2 all-time in opposition to Pitt
• Holden Brown made a season-high six saves in internet
• Virginia has scored three or extra targets in a match for the fifth time this season
• The Cavaliers achieved double-digit shot totals for the ninth time of their 10 video games this season

UP NEXT

Virginia will return house to Klöckner Stadium to tackle No. 13 Denver on Tuesday. Kick is ready for six p.m.