Hopefully some of you non-soccer fans will tune into ESPNU tonight to check out Pitt's national semifinal. Figured I'd give a little run down.
Despite being unseeded and Indiana being #12, I would say Pitt is a slight favorite. They play in the best league whereas Indiana plays in the college soccer version of Atlantic 10 basketball. However, IU is a strong, historic program. Their old coach is like the John Wooden of college soccer, winning a bunch of NC's before anyone was really playing college soccer. His son is now the coach and has done a good job. He basically gets the best Midwestern kids. Whereas Vidovich recruits primarily in Europe and in the transfer market.
Here's a little about the Pitt starters. I will list the number of seasons they have remaining in parentheses as best I can tell.
RB - Lucas Rosa (0)
- from Brazil
- NEC Player of the Year at St. Francis (PA) after scoring 11 goals. 1st year playing since 2019 after his Covid season was canceles and was hurt last year
- has done a good job providing service offensively in the Jasper Loefflesend role (who plays in MLS now and is a part time starter). Definitely an offensive-minded RB.
LB - Mateo Maillefeaud (2)
- from France
- also likes to get forward, scored one of the prettiest goals you'll ever see on any level at UNC
Center Backs
Jackson Gilman (3)
- from Philly
- equivalent of being a 4 or 5 star recruit
- has played every minute this season
- has already played pro soccer with Philadelphia Union 2 in MLS Next Pro, teammates with Paxten Aaronson and Quinn Sullivan, both of whom will be on the USMNT U23 team at the 2024 Olympics and Aaronson will probably join his brother at the 2026 World Cup
Yannis Leerman (0)
- from France
- transfer from UCF
- drafted in the 3rd Round last year by Chicago Fire
Or
Henrique Gallina (0)
- from Brazil
- transfer from USF
- not sure who will start but this is their weakest spot on the field IMO
Midfielders
Jackson Walti (0)
- from Switzerland but was offered a walk-on role while recruiting former star Edward Kizza from Montverde in Florida
- started every game in his career and tonight will he his 100th
- heart and soul of the team
- plays the "Tyler Adams" defensive midfield role
Filip Mirkovic (2)
- from Serbia, moved to NYC around middle schoolish and played for NYCFC's youth teams
- more of an offensive-minded midfielder
- been known to score from outside the box which is something to look for as IU probably parks the bus and plays for penalties
Michael Sullivan (2)
- from Deer Lakes
- local kid who some may have thought was just a token offer as this area doesn't produce a lot of high level players but he's shown he belongs. Not as productive as you'd like but he's only a sophomore and you cant have stats everywhere
Forwards
Valentin Noel (1)
- from France
- leading goal scorer with 11
- finalist for Soccer version of Heisman 2 years ago
- scored game winner in OT in Elite 8
Bertin Jacquesson (2)
- from France
- 2nd leading scorer with 8
- one of the best, if not THE best right sided wingers in the NCAA
Josh Luchini (0)
- from NA
- 4 year starter at Lehigh
- nice to see this local kid getting playing time but this is a spot the team needs more out of
Goalkeeper
Joe Van der Sar
- from Netherlands
- son of arguably the greatest GK ever, Edwin Van der Sar
- is on FIFA 18 when he was on the roster of a team in the Eredivisie
I expect the game to look a lot like the game 2 years ago. This Pitt team isnt as good as they were 2 years ago but neither is Indiana. I expect Indiana to sit back and defend the whole game and try to catch us on a counter like 2 years ago.
My pick
1-1
Pitt advancing in PKs
Despite being unseeded and Indiana being #12, I would say Pitt is a slight favorite. They play in the best league whereas Indiana plays in the college soccer version of Atlantic 10 basketball. However, IU is a strong, historic program. Their old coach is like the John Wooden of college soccer, winning a bunch of NC's before anyone was really playing college soccer. His son is now the coach and has done a good job. He basically gets the best Midwestern kids. Whereas Vidovich recruits primarily in Europe and in the transfer market.
Here's a little about the Pitt starters. I will list the number of seasons they have remaining in parentheses as best I can tell.
RB - Lucas Rosa (0)
- from Brazil
- NEC Player of the Year at St. Francis (PA) after scoring 11 goals. 1st year playing since 2019 after his Covid season was canceles and was hurt last year
- has done a good job providing service offensively in the Jasper Loefflesend role (who plays in MLS now and is a part time starter). Definitely an offensive-minded RB.
LB - Mateo Maillefeaud (2)
- from France
- also likes to get forward, scored one of the prettiest goals you'll ever see on any level at UNC
Center Backs
Jackson Gilman (3)
- from Philly
- equivalent of being a 4 or 5 star recruit
- has played every minute this season
- has already played pro soccer with Philadelphia Union 2 in MLS Next Pro, teammates with Paxten Aaronson and Quinn Sullivan, both of whom will be on the USMNT U23 team at the 2024 Olympics and Aaronson will probably join his brother at the 2026 World Cup
Yannis Leerman (0)
- from France
- transfer from UCF
- drafted in the 3rd Round last year by Chicago Fire
Or
Henrique Gallina (0)
- from Brazil
- transfer from USF
- not sure who will start but this is their weakest spot on the field IMO
Midfielders
Jackson Walti (0)
- from Switzerland but was offered a walk-on role while recruiting former star Edward Kizza from Montverde in Florida
- started every game in his career and tonight will he his 100th
- heart and soul of the team
- plays the "Tyler Adams" defensive midfield role
Filip Mirkovic (2)
- from Serbia, moved to NYC around middle schoolish and played for NYCFC's youth teams
- more of an offensive-minded midfielder
- been known to score from outside the box which is something to look for as IU probably parks the bus and plays for penalties
Michael Sullivan (2)
- from Deer Lakes
- local kid who some may have thought was just a token offer as this area doesn't produce a lot of high level players but he's shown he belongs. Not as productive as you'd like but he's only a sophomore and you cant have stats everywhere
Forwards
Valentin Noel (1)
- from France
- leading goal scorer with 11
- finalist for Soccer version of Heisman 2 years ago
- scored game winner in OT in Elite 8
Bertin Jacquesson (2)
- from France
- 2nd leading scorer with 8
- one of the best, if not THE best right sided wingers in the NCAA
Josh Luchini (0)
- from NA
- 4 year starter at Lehigh
- nice to see this local kid getting playing time but this is a spot the team needs more out of
Goalkeeper
Joe Van der Sar
- from Netherlands
- son of arguably the greatest GK ever, Edwin Van der Sar
- is on FIFA 18 when he was on the roster of a team in the Eredivisie
I expect the game to look a lot like the game 2 years ago. This Pitt team isnt as good as they were 2 years ago but neither is Indiana. I expect Indiana to sit back and defend the whole game and try to catch us on a counter like 2 years ago.
My pick
1-1
Pitt advancing in PKs
