Title: West Virginia Claims First Sun Belt Men’s Soccer Championship in Thrilling Penalty Shootout
MORGANTOWN, W. VA. – The No. 10 ranked and top-seeded West Virginia University men’s soccer team triumphed in an intense match against No. 8 ranked and second-seeded Marshall to capture their first Sun Belt Conference Men’s Soccer Championship. The contest, decided by penalty kicks, ended with a narrow 6-5 victory for the Mountaineers, who faced the reigning regular season and tournament champions Marshall.
Graduate student Sergio Ors Navarro earned the title of Most Outstanding Performer, further enhancing his postseason accolades. With this victory, West Virginia secured the Sun Belt’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The team and Marshall will learn their postseason fates during the NCAA Selection Show on November 18 at 1 p.m. ET/12 p.m. CT.
The match itself showcased a gritty rivalry, with physical play leading to multiple fouls and yellow cards—a total of 20 fouls and seven yellow cards were issued throughout the game. West Virginia dominated the first half in terms of shots, testing Marshall goalkeeper Aleska Janjic, who made three crucial saves to keep the game scoreless.
The second half saw equal shooting opportunities but failed to yield goals, leading to extra time. West Virginia managed to outshoot Marshall in both overtime periods, yet neither team could break the stalemate. The championship was ultimately decided in penalty kicks, where Navarro’s opening attempt hit both posts before finding the net. After both teams exchanged goals, West Virginia secured victory when goalkeeper Bonnaire saved Marshall’s final attempt.
With this championship win, the Mountaineers are poised for NCAA Tournament action, marking a significant moment in their soccer program’s history.
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Photo credit sunbeltsports.org
