The No. 1-ranked Pitt men’s soccer team didn’t get an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament on Saturday night, but the Panthers can expect to have their name called during Monday’s tournament selection show.
Pitt dropped a 2-0 decision to No. 4-ranked Clemson in the ACC automatic qualifier match Saturday night at Historic Riggs Field in South Carolina.
Clemson (13-3-2) earned the conference’s automatic NCAA bid, while Pitt (13-3) will learn where it is seeded at noon Monday during the NCAA Men’s Soccer Selection Show. As the nation’s top-ranked team, Pitt is expected to be awarded an at-large bid.
Quinn McNeill (17th minute) and Isiah Reid (83rd minute) scored for Clemson.
Pitt, which also lost to Clemson, 2-1, in the ACC championship game Nov. 22, finished the game with 11 shots and eight corner kicks.
Veljko Petkovic, Raphael Crivello and Bertin Jacquesson each had two shots, and keeper Nico Campuzano made three saves.
Pitt entered the game ranked No. 1 by the United Soccer Coaches, ahead of Georgetown, Indiana, Clemson and Wake Forest. Thirty-six teams will be selected for the NCAA Tournament.
The NCAA Tournament will begin April 29. The men’s semifinals are May 14, with the championship game set for May 17. All games will be held in or around Cary, N.C.
