The Pioneers’ men’s soccer team fell 3-0 to the University of Charleston in Mountain East Conference play on Sunday afternoon at the Welch Athletic Complex, dropping it to 2-3 overall and 2-2 in MEC play.
Charleston, one of the top-ranked programs in the nation, struck first in the 43rd minute when Denys Verbinskyi scored just before halftime. The Golden Eagles extended their lead with two more goals in the second half, sealing their second victory over Point Park this season.
Graduate defender Tomle Donig said the game highlighted where the Pioneers still need to improve.
“Key takeaways from the game were that our team is not where we want to be in terms of speed of play and maturing when approaching strong opponents,” Donig said. “Obviously, when facing one of the best teams in the nation, you cannot go into the game expecting an easy win.”
The Golden Eagles controlled possession throughout the match, outshooting Point Park 23-5 and holding a decisive 15-1 edge in corner kicks. Still, the Pioneers had opportunities, with Lorenzo Grispello, Rocco Domenighini and Fridolin Gefrorer each recording a shot on goal.
Captain Gerfrorer said the team found highlights in the loss to learn from.
“The loss was unfortunate but not undeserved, we made some individual mistakes that we have to clean up to be able to beat teams as good as Charleston.” Gerfrorer said. “There were glimpses of what we can do to beat good opponents, so we have to try to build on that.”
Goalkeeper Gregorio Capponi played the full 90 minutes for the Pioneers, recording three saves. Capponi now holds a 2-3 record in net to start his first season with Point Park.
Despite the setback, Donig said he is encouraged by the way the roster has come together with so many new faces this year.
“Surprisingly, our team’s chemistry has developed very well so far, which is not common since a lot of cultures are coming together at the same time,” Donig said. “Every team has ups and downs since players get into arguments when not sharing the same opinion on certain situations in the game. Gladly, our team was able to overcome those challenges early in the season.”
The Pioneers will look to regroup quickly as they prepare for today’s road matchup against West Liberty. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Gerfrorer said the team expects to bounce back, “Being at 2-2 is an acceptable situation to be in, regarding the teams we have played. We have a huge opportunity to beat West Liberty and climb the standings,” he said. “It is important for us to be 100% focused and prepared to beat them. I expect it to be a hard-fought game, but a game we have to win.”
