Two Goals from Nico Wrobel Lift Pitt to Win

by Stacey Brann

September 7, 2012

PITTSBURGH - Junior Nico Wrobel scored twice to lift Pitt to a 3-1 win over IPFW on Friday evening at Ambrose Urbanic Field at the Petersen Sports Complex. The contest was the second game of the Pitt/Nike Invitational.

Both of the second-half goals from Wrobel came off of penalty kicks. Sophomore newcomer Michael Tuohy netted an insurance goal in the 87^th minute as Pitt (2-0-2) remained unbeaten on the year.

The Mastodons fell to 0-4 on the season despite outshooting the Panthers 5-3 in the first half.

“The mindset is we’ve done it before and we knew we had to go do it again (come back from a deficit), although you can’t get into that scenario every game,” Pitt head coach Joe Luxbacher said after the game. “We had some early chances, but we battled back. We had starters out with injuries and some guys really stepped up and played well tonight.”

After a scoreless first half, IPFW (0-4) recorded the game’s first score and its first goal of the season. A scramble in front of the net saw Mitch Falkenstern find Brent Helton, who tapped it in from two yards out to give the Mastadons a 1-0 lead.

Nine minutes later, Pitt would score the equalizer on a penalty kick from Wrobel. The forward delivered a shot into the right corner to knot the game at 1-1.

In the 68^th minute, a hand ball in the box gave Pitt a chance to take the lead. Wrobel – who was 4-of-4 on penalty kick opportunities last season - connected on his second of the night which turned out to be the game-winner. Wrobel has now registered three goals in the past two games.

Pitt, which had 13 of its 16 total shots in the second half, continued to pressure the IPFW defense in the final stanza. Sophomore Ryan Myers saw his shot attempt stopped short, but Tuohy was trailing for the rebound goal. The goal was Tuohy’s first of the season.

Earlier in the evening, Delaware posted a 2-1 win over Duquesne in the first game of the Pitt/Nike Invitational. The Panthers take on the Blue Hens (1-3) at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 9, while Duquesne and IPFW meet at Noon.

Pitt 3, IPFW 1
September 7, 2012, Pittsburgh; Pitt/Nike Invitational

Goals by Period	1	2	Final
IPFW	0	1	1
Pitt	0	3	3

SCORING SUMMARY:
GOAL   Time       Team      Goal Scorer                           Assists
1          52:32      IPFW      Brent Helton (1)                      Mitch Falkenstern
                                       scramble in front of goal
2          61:00      PITT       WROBEL, Nico (2)                  Penalty kick
3          67:29      PITT       WROBEL, Nico                      Penalty kick
4          86:13      PITT       TUOHY, Michael (1)                MYERS, Ryan
                                       rebound goal, straightaway center-2 yard

CAUTIONS AND EJECTIONS:
YC-PITT #16 (57:34); YC-PITT #20 (61:16)

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