West Virginia Claims First-Ever MAC Championship Title

The West Virginia men’s soccer team secured its first-ever Mid-American Conference Championship on Sunday afternoon after defeating Bowling Green 1-0.

The feat proves impressive for a West Virginia squad that went winless in conference play during the regular season after falling to Western Michigan, Northern Illinois, Bowling Green and Akron and tying with SIU Edwardsville.

It took 85 minutes but a lone goal off the head of freshman Luke McCormick was the only net that West Virginia needed to secure the win.

The Mountaineers (9-8-2) came out firing in the opening period, getting off a trio of shots as well as three corner kicks in the opening three minutes of play.

The closest West Virginia got to reaching the back of the net was when Josh DiMatteo footed a shot in the opening minute of the match which was quickly stopped by Bowling Green keeper Anthony Mwembia.

Bowling Green’s (13-7-1) offense never seemed to wake up until the second period when the Falcons totaled six shots and four shots on goal in the period as opposed to the Mountaineers pair of shots on goal.

West Virginia goalkeeper Steven Tekesky’s shutout marked the senior's sixth of the season after Tekesky made a total five saves throughout the match.

The match was a sloppy one as each team committed 13 total fouls as well as West Virginia being called offside four times as opposed to Bowling Green’s three times.

DiMatteo led the way on the offensive attack for West Virginia after totaling a pair of shots which was followed by a trio of Mountaineers with one shot in Ryan Kellogg, Pau Jimenez Albelda and Luke McCormick.

West Virginia now earns an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament and will wait to see who they will take on in the first round of the tournament.