Leopards Upset Solon 2-1 to Win DI Sectional Title – Boys Soccer
Louisville 2, Solon 1
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The #14 seed Louisville Leopards Boys Soccer Team upset the host #8 seed Solon Comets 2-1 in their DI Cleveland 1 Sectional Final Saturday Night at Stewart Field. With the victory, Louisville improves to 14-4 on the season and wins its first Division I Sectional Championship in program history. The Leopards advance to play at #5 seed Jackson in the DI Cleveland 1 District Semifinals on Wednesday, October 26 at 6:00 PM.
Porter-Kovacich Scores Both Leopard Goals
Sophomore Dominic Porter-Kovacich scored a goal on each side of halftime to give Louisville a commanding 2-0 lead early on in the second half. With the game still scoreless, junior Ryan Kibler launched a free kick into the box with less than a minute to play in the opening half. The ball was kicked toward the goal and then kicked back out to the right side of the box by a Solon defender. The deflection found the feet of Porter-Kovacich who surgically kicked a line drive into an opening above the head of the goalkeeper and into the left side of the net. The goal put the Leopards ahead 1-0 with just 36 seconds to play before halftime.
Leps lead Solon at half 1 – 0
OHSAA Sectional Finals Tournament
GO LEOPARDS! ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/G8ZD0XXMpG— Terrie Horn (@LepsAD) October 22, 2022
Out of the break, Porter-Kovacich found the back of the net again. A Louisville shot from the left deflected off the goalkeeper and slowly rolled to the center of the goal box. Porter-Kovacich was “Johnny-on-the-spot” and flushed it home to put the Leopards in front 2-0.
Porter-Kovacich was emphatic after the score as he celebrated his seventh goal of the season with his teammates.
Seconds after start of 2nd half, LOUISVILLE LEOPARDS SCORE AGAIN! ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/ucpseDw862
— Terrie Horn (@LepsAD) October 23, 2022
Louisville Wins 4th Straight Sectional Title
Solon would chop the Louisville lead in half with a goal later on in the second half. However, the Leopards defense would not yield another score the rest of the way en rout to advancing to the district tournament in Division I for the first time in team history.
This is the fourth straight season that Louisville has won a sectional championship. The Leopards won Division II sectional titles in 2019, 2020, and 2021 prior to moving to Division I this season. Louisville Boys Soccer has now won eight sectional titles in its history.
The Leopards have now won five of their last six tournament games overall and are now 21-22 all-time in the postseason. Louisville is now 8-14 in road tournament games and evens its record at 4-4 in the postseason when playing in Division I.
This was the first even meeting between the Leopards and Comets. Solon is the 61st different opponent Leopards Boys Soccer has faced off against all-time.
UP NEXT: The Louisville Leopards Boys Soccer Team will next travel to take on the #5 seed Jackson Polar Bears in the DI Cleveland 1 District Semifinals on Wednesday, October 26. Game time is set for 6:00 PM from Jackson High School.
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Louisville at Solon Boys Varsity Soccer Box Score
LEOPARDS 2, COMETS 1
Team 1-2–TOTAL
Louisville 1-1–02
Solon 0-1–01
1st Half
LOUISVILLE – Dominic Porter-Kovacich | LHS 1, SHS 0, 0:36
2nd Half
LOUISVILLE – Dominic Porter-Kovacich | LHS 2, SHS 0
SOLON – ?? | LHS 2, SHS 1
Records: Louisville 14-4
