University of Delaware Athletics
Column: Blue Hens Show Resiliency In Win Over No. 23 West Virginia
9/5/2019 10:20:00 AM | Men's Soccer
With just over 20 minutes left, it looked like all the Blue Hens' hard work had been undone.
Sophomore goalkeeper Renan Thomazo, in just his second game in a Delaware uniform and his first at Stuart & Suzanne Grant Stadium, was staring down West Virginia's Pascal Derwaritsch, who was lining up a penalty kick.
In his collegiate debut three days earlier, Thomazo and the Blue Hens had been roughed up at Villanova by a score of 5-0. Now Delaware was playing host to the Mountaineers, a team that reached the second round of the 2018 NCAA Tournament and entered the 2019 season ranked No. 23 nationally.
Instead of letting the loss become demoralizing, the Blue Hens had come out and taken the game right to WVU. The Mountaineers failed to even get a shot on target in the first half, while Delaware had the most dangerous opportunities.
In the 16th minute, sophomore center back Timo Hummrich, the 2018 Colonial Athletic Association Rookie of the Year, nearly broke through. His first-time effort on a short free kick was blocked, and his shot on the ensuing rebound forced a WVU save. The Blue Hens were knocking on the door.
Four minutes later, the moment would finally come. A Jake Steinberg cross from the right wing found junior midfielder Ryan Mertz at the far post. As Mountaineer defenders crashed in on Mertz, the ball fell to the feet of junior Ghanaian attacker Rex Twum, who curled a left-footed strike inside the post, putting Delaware ahead 1-0. The Blue Hens erupted in celebration.
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The job was far from done; there was over an hour left in the game. As the Mountaineers threw numbers forward, the defense, led by the experience of Hummrich and Arno Masson-Viale, kept them at bay. The organized back line caught West Virginia offside time and time again.
But now, in the 69th minute, a mistimed tackle had given WVU a penalty, and the hard-fought lead looked like it was doomed. As Derwaritsch struck the ball, Thomazo immediately dove to his right, using all of his 6-foot-5 frame to push away a ball that was otherwise destined for the back of the net. It was a massive moment, and the spark that Delaware needed to see out the rest of the match.
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"Huge. Because I think the wheels were about to come off," head coach Ian Hennessy said of what the save did for the team. "He's got a huge wingspan, he's an experienced keeper. I think he managed the game very well for us."
"I just guessed it and I gave 100 percent on the ball," Thomazo said simply of his big stop.
While that moment was huge, the win was an entire team effort for 90 minutes. The Blue Hens, in the face of adversity, showed incredible resiliency and resolve and walked away with the eighth win over a ranked opponent in program history, and first since 2015 (2-1 over No. 20 Maryland on Oct. 20).
"I said to them, this will be, and is, one of my proudest moments in the 14 years I've been here," Hennessy said. "We've been to three NCAAs, had some great players, [players in] MLS, but this tonight was one of my proudest moments."
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Sophomore goalkeeper Renan Thomazo, in just his second game in a Delaware uniform and his first at Stuart & Suzanne Grant Stadium, was staring down West Virginia's Pascal Derwaritsch, who was lining up a penalty kick.
In his collegiate debut three days earlier, Thomazo and the Blue Hens had been roughed up at Villanova by a score of 5-0. Now Delaware was playing host to the Mountaineers, a team that reached the second round of the 2018 NCAA Tournament and entered the 2019 season ranked No. 23 nationally.
Instead of letting the loss become demoralizing, the Blue Hens had come out and taken the game right to WVU. The Mountaineers failed to even get a shot on target in the first half, while Delaware had the most dangerous opportunities.
In the 16th minute, sophomore center back Timo Hummrich, the 2018 Colonial Athletic Association Rookie of the Year, nearly broke through. His first-time effort on a short free kick was blocked, and his shot on the ensuing rebound forced a WVU save. The Blue Hens were knocking on the door.
Four minutes later, the moment would finally come. A Jake Steinberg cross from the right wing found junior midfielder Ryan Mertz at the far post. As Mountaineer defenders crashed in on Mertz, the ball fell to the feet of junior Ghanaian attacker Rex Twum, who curled a left-footed strike inside the post, putting Delaware ahead 1-0. The Blue Hens erupted in celebration.
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#BlueHens GOAL!!!
— Delaware Men's Soccer (@DelawareMSOC) September 2, 2019
Rex Twum sends a shot into the upper left corner in the 20th minute to give Delaware a 1-0 lead over West Virginia! pic.twitter.com/ZJx4hcaBFj
The job was far from done; there was over an hour left in the game. As the Mountaineers threw numbers forward, the defense, led by the experience of Hummrich and Arno Masson-Viale, kept them at bay. The organized back line caught West Virginia offside time and time again.
But now, in the 69th minute, a mistimed tackle had given WVU a penalty, and the hard-fought lead looked like it was doomed. As Derwaritsch struck the ball, Thomazo immediately dove to his right, using all of his 6-foot-5 frame to push away a ball that was otherwise destined for the back of the net. It was a massive moment, and the spark that Delaware needed to see out the rest of the match.
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Check out the highlights and Ian Hennessy's comments following the 1-0 win over West Virginia pic.twitter.com/bYEmF7GNrR
— Delaware Men's Soccer (@DelawareMSOC) September 3, 2019
"Huge. Because I think the wheels were about to come off," head coach Ian Hennessy said of what the save did for the team. "He's got a huge wingspan, he's an experienced keeper. I think he managed the game very well for us."
"I just guessed it and I gave 100 percent on the ball," Thomazo said simply of his big stop.
While that moment was huge, the win was an entire team effort for 90 minutes. The Blue Hens, in the face of adversity, showed incredible resiliency and resolve and walked away with the eighth win over a ranked opponent in program history, and first since 2015 (2-1 over No. 20 Maryland on Oct. 20).
"I said to them, this will be, and is, one of my proudest moments in the 14 years I've been here," Hennessy said. "We've been to three NCAAs, had some great players, [players in] MLS, but this tonight was one of my proudest moments."
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Players Mentioned
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