No. 13 Cardinals Dominant in 6-1 Win Against No. 16 Virginia

Saturday, September 24

LOUISVILLE, KY

7:00 PM

University of Louisville

7-1-1, 3-0-0ACC

VIRGINIA

3-2-2, 0-2-1ACC

Virginia

Louisville

Grant Hollkamp and Cherif Dieye each scored their first career goals in Saturday's win.

No. 13 Cardinals Dominant in 6-1 Win Against No. 16 Virginia

September 24, 2016 | Men's Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Video Highlights Photo Gallery Video: Ken Lolla Postgame Video: Tim Kubel Postgame Video: Mohamed Thiaw Postgame Video Highlights

Thiaw scores two goals, Kubel adds school record four assists in Louisville’s fifth straight win

By: Garett Wall

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Junior Mohamed Thiaw connected for a pair of goals as the No. 13 Louisville men's soccer team erupted for its highest scoring performance since 2009 with Saturday night's 6-1 victory over No. 16 Virginia at Dr. Mark and Cindy Lynn Stadium.

Along with Thiaw's first multi-goal outing, the freshmen trio of Grant Hollkamp, Cherif Dieye and Cody Cochran each scored their first collegiate goals and junior Jack Gayton added his first goal of the season as the Cardinals (7-1-1, 3-0-0 ACC) finished with their best scoring output since a 6-0 win over DePaul on Oct. 3, 2009. The victory, which also included a school record four assists for junior Tim Kubel, extended Louisville's winning streak to five matches, the longest since winning five straight in 2012.

Thiaw, a junior college transfer from Lexington, Ky., registered Louisville's first brace since Tate Schmitt had two goals against Memphis on Sept. 22, 2015. Thiaw has scored a goal in three straight matches and leads the Cardinals with seven goals in nine starts this season.

The four assists for Kubel surpassed the previous single match record at Louisville of three first set by Paolo DelPiccolo in 2009 and matched in 2011 by Colin Rolfe. With Saturday's performance, Kubel has a team-high seven assists on the season and 15 career assists for the Cardinals.

Louisville opened the scoring Saturday in the 19th minute when Gayton finished a free kick chance inside the far right post for the 1-0 lead. Kubel started things with his kick into the center of the box, where Thiaw redirected with a header to Gayton, who sent a left-footed shot past Virginia goalkeeper Jeff Caldwell for his second career goal.

The Cardinals extended the lead to 2-0 in the 27th minute when Thiaw gather a long pass up the right side by junior Geoffrey Dee and scored inside the far left post with a left-footed strike from 12 yards away. The assist was the first of the season for Dee.

The margin was pushed to 3-0 in the 37th minute after Hollkamp was on the receiving end of a free kick by Kubel up the left side of the field, where he worked past a defender and scored inside the right post. The final tally of the first half came in the 41st minute when Dieye slipped inside the middle of the box, where he took a feed from Hollkamp and maneuvered around Caldwell to score into the open goal for the 4-0 cushion.

The four goals in the first half on Saturday for Louisville were the most in an opening half since they had four against Appalachian State in a 5-0 win on Sept. 12, 2010 at Cardinal Park. Saturday's outing was the highest scoring performance in any half since finishing with four goals in the second half of a 4-2 win over CSU Bakersfield on Sept. 15, 2013 at Cardinal Park.

After Virginia scored its only goal of the night in the 56th minute on a tally by Wesley Wade, Louisville answered less than three minutes later when Cochran connected on a header inside the right post following a corner kick by Kubel in the 58th minute. The final goal of the match came in the 63rd minute when Thiaw controlled a feed from Kubel up the center of the field, defeated a defender and scored inside the far right post.

Overall, the Cardinals finished with a 20-1 advantage in shots, including a 13-1 edge on-goal. Louisville has registered more shots than its opponent in eight of nine matches this season.

Up next, No. 13 Louisville continues its ACC slate with a visit to Boston College on Friday at 7 p.m., ET.

2016 LOUISVILLE SOCCER SEASON TICKET AND FAN EXPERIENCE INFORMATION
Season tickets and Fan Experience packages for Louisville's third season at Dr. Mark and Cindy Lynn Stadium are now available. To purchase your tickets for the 2016 soccer season, please call the Louisville Cardinals Ticket Office at (502) GoCARDS or visit gocards.com/soccer-fep for more information. Ticket prices for the 2016 season will remain the same as the inaugural season and start as low as $2 per person per game. Season tickets for 2016 include every regular season home match for both the men's and women's soccer programs.

FOLLOWING LOUISVILLE MEN'S SOCCER ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans can follow Louisville men's soccer on Twitter (@UofLmenssoccer) at http://twitter.com/uoflmenssoccer and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/UofLmenssoccer.