WVU Mountaineer Sports: Basketball | Football | News |Men's Soccer: WVU Drops Tough Match

On a blustery Saturday night at Valley Fields in Milwaukee, Wis., a 79^th minute goal from Sebastian Jansson led Marquette to a 2-1 victory over No. 18 West Virginia.

Kelmend Islami sent a cross to Jansson who was able to volley the ball past a diving WVU keeper Justin Holmes from eight yards out to break a 1-1 tie.        

The Mountaineers out-shot the Golden Eagles by a 14-10 count. Marquette however held the shots on-goal (5-4) and corner kick (8-3) advantages.

            "We didn't play well enough to win the game, even when it was 1-1," coach Marlon LeBlanc says. "If you're not sharp enough in these games it's difficult to get a result. I was disappointed in the way we conceded two goals. We didn't play well enough to win the game and we'll have to move on quickly and get ready for Connecticut."

            Midfielder Shadow Sebele led the Mountaineer offense with seven shots, two on frame, while midfielder Uwem Etuk and forward Andy Bevin each had two shots and one on-goal apiece.

            Etuk recorded the first shot of the game for either team in the 20^th minute on an ambitious blast from 25 yards that was blocked by a Marquette defender.

Marquette managed its first shot on the effort of Bryan Ciesiulka who ripped a shot in the 23^rd minute that Holmes corralled from 20 yards out.

Marquette's Dennis Holowaty then broke the scoreless match in the 28^th minute with a header into the far post off a cross from Ciesiulka. The goal came after a corner by Paul Dillon that got knocked back into the corner where it settled at C. Nortey's feet. Nortey found Ciesiulka who sent a long cross to the head of Holowaty for the goal.

Midfielder Allan Flott nearly evened the match seven minutes later off a free kick after a handball by a Marquette. Flott took the free kick from 20 yards out and bent the ball over the wall, ringing the shot off the crossbar with the rebound coming to Sebele who had a shot blocked.

It did not take long for the Mountaineers to strike after halftime adjustments as Etuk scored his second goal of the season in the 47^th minute after a nice sequence of passes to begin the half. Etuk took the left-footed shot inside the box from the left side after receiving a pass from Sebele.

After a defensive breakdown in the 57^th minute, Marquette nearly regained the lead, however, defender Raymon Gaddis made a fantastic team save on Islami when Islami had a breakaway with an open net. Gaddis made a sliding save to punch the ball out of bounds.

Marquette had another chance to break the tie in the 69^th minute after Holmes came out to catch a corner kick. The ball went past Holmes and jumped out to Nortey who took a point-blank shot that Holmes shuffled over to make the save on.

Bevin came inches from giving the Mountaineers the lead in the 72^nd minute when he took a shot from eight yards out that Marquette keeper David Check made a sprawling leap to his left to stop the shot.

Holmes made two saves in the loss, while Check finished with three saves for Marquette. Holowaty, Nortey, Ciesiulka and Islami all took two shots apiece to lead the Golden Eagles.

WVU returns home to face  No. 1 Connecticut on Tuesday, Oct. 18, at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium presented by EZToUse.com. The game will start at 7 p.m., with the first 200 fans receiving a free WVU wristband. The game has also been designated as a "Dollar Day" with all tickets, hot dogs, popcorn and Coca-Colas available for just one dollar each. Qdoba will be hosting a halftime burrito eating contest and there will be a performance by the WVU Drumline at halftime.