WVU Mountaineer Sports: Basketball | Football | News |Men's Soccer: WVU Upsets Irish

The No. 18 West Virginia men's soccer team clinched a home game in the first round of the BIG EAST Tournament with a 2-0 win over No. 12 Notre Dame on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Stadium in the regular season finale.

            With the win, WVU cannot finish any lower than the No. 3 in the Blue Division of the BIG EAST standings and have the ability to finish at the No. 1 seed and the BIG EAST regular season champion.

            "That was arguably our best win of the year because we had to dig deep in the roster to put a team on the field," coach Marlon LeBlanc says. "We used the deepest roster we have ever used at WVU and hats off to the kids who were fantastic on the day."

            The Mountaineers (10-6-1, 6-3-0 BIG EAST) played shorthanded against the Irish (8-4-4, 4-3-1 BIG EAST) and dominated the midfield possession with fantastic play from the backline, despite missing all-BIG EAST performers Raymon Gaddis and Shadow Sebele,

            Forward Nick Claudio scored his second goal of the season in the 24^th minute on a scrum in front after a corner kick by forward Andy Bevin. Bevin took the in-swinger that was miscleared by two Notre Dame defenders and the ball found the foot of defender Uzi Tayou. Tayou ripped a shot that Claudio flicked from two yards out for the 1-0 lead.

            "We knew going into it that three points was going to do a lot for us with NCAA Tournament and BIG EAST Tournament berths," Claudio says. "We've had our ups and downs this season, but it's a great feeling to win the game."

            West Virginia then received an own goal by Notre Dame Grant Van de Casteele in the 71^st minute to give WVU an insurance goal and a 2-0 lead. Bevin brought the ball left to right across the field and released a shot from 20 yards out that was swinging outwards off frame before being deflected by Van de Casteele and past Notre Dame keeper Will Walsh.

            The Mountaineers outshot (10-9) the Irish, as well as holding the corner kick advantage at 6-4. Goalkeeper Pat Eavenson recorded his second-consecutive shutout, recording five saves in the victory.

Notre Dame began the game with two chances in the first 10 minutes that both went off the West Virginia crossbar. Chris Sutton had one go off the crossbar in the fifth minute, while Aaron Maund took a shot that Eavenson came out and made the save, deflecting the ball off the crossbar.

            Eavenson was able to make a nice save on Notre Dame leading scorer Ryan Finley in the 49^th minute by cutting down Finley's angled shot and deflecting the ball out for an Irish throw-in.

            Midfielder Allan Flott had a great chance in the 58^th minute when he ripped a shot from 25 yards out that went flew just high of the Notre Dame net.

            Eavenson made a great diving save in the 87^th minute at point blank range on a header by Maund. Maund had the opportunity after a corner kick by Dillon Powers and headed it from six yards out.