MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A 66th-minute goal from junior midfielder Ike Swiger was the difference in the West Virginia men’s soccer team’s 1-0 upset victory over in-state foe No. 8 Marshall at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium in Morgantown on Wednesday, March 24.
After the game remained scoreless entering the second half, the Mountaineer (4-2-0, 2-2-0 MAC) attack came out firing, eventually leading to the game-winner from the Fairmont, native. Sophomore midfielder Luke McCormick dribbled a pass from junior defender Aaron Denk Gracia toward the 18-yard box, leaving a Marshall defender in his tracks. Sending the ball forward, McCormick found Swiger, who lured the MU keeper out of the goalmouth and flicked the ball upward with his toe to send it above the goalie’s glove and into the back of the net.
Wednesday’s win over No. 8 Marshall (6-2-1, 3-0-0 C-USA) marks the Mountaineers’ first victory over a top-10 opponent since 2017, when the squad secured a 1-0 win over then-No. 5 Michigan State at home. The win also was WVU’s first over the Thundering Herd since the two teams’ last regular-season meeting in 2004.
“Marshall is certainly worthy of their ranking, so we knew we were going to have our work cut out for us, and we certainly did,” WVU first-year head coach Dan Stratford said.
“However, we believed in what we could do in terms of creating chances. Especially in the second half, I thought that we started the half really well, and with a little bravery and courage in that period of the game we were pretty deserving of taking the lead.
“I’m learning that, no matter the opponent, you still need a few things to go your way and a little bit of luck to get over the line. I’m obviously incredibly pleased and very proud of the guys for their effort, and over the course of the 90 minutes, we really battled for the win.”
Marshall got a trio of early shots on target before the 10-minute mark, but senior goalkeeper Steven Tekesky wrangled in all three and the teams played on. The Thundering Herd controlled possession for much of the second half, but West Virginia’s defense was able to get in the way of their chances, denying an early goal from the visitors.
The two teams went to the locker rooms scoreless, but the West Virginia attack came back ready to play in the final 45 minutes, controlling possession at the outset of the second half. Borneo again got the first shot off for WVU, but it was corralled by Marshall. Then came Swiger’s goal in the 66th, as the strong Mountaineer attack paid off to put WVU on the board first. Swiger’s goal was the first of his West Virginia career, also marking his first game winner.
