Sept. 29, 2000

Box Score

Notre Dame - Senior forward Spencer Barton recorded his first career hat trick, scoring every goal for the 15th-ranked Pittsburgh men's soccer team and leading the Panthers to a 3-2 come-from-behind victory over Big East Conference foe Notre Dame on Sept. 29.

Barton (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson) became just the eighth player in the program's 46-year history to record a hat trick (11th time overall), and achieved the feat by connecting on all three of his shots on goal. It is the first hat trick for Pittsburgh since former panther Phil Matilla scored three in a 7-0 shutout over California (Pa.) on Nov. 4, 1997. The three goals also helped Barton surpass his career-high for goals in a season with five in 2000.

Barton wasted little time getting on the board for Pittsburgh when he netted his first goal just 5:39 into the game as his 20-foot shot from the right side of the field drifted over Irish goalkeeper Greg Tait. The assist came from senior midfielder Chad Porter (Irwin, Pa./Penn-Trafford). The score remained 1-0 at the half.

Notre Dame's Erick Braun knotted the game at 1-1 at the 52:22 mark when he scored on an assist from Stephen Maio. Just over a minute after Braun's score, Griffin Howard scored Notre Dame's second goal when he blasted a shot from the top of the box with an assist by Chad Riley at 53:27.

Pittsburgh countered at 56:35 when Barton maneuvered the ball from the right side of the box past a sliding Tait who had come out of the goal area to challenge the shot. Barton then tallied the go-ahead goal at 78:33 off assists by both Porter and junior forward Mark Sikora (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep).

The three goals by the Panthers were the most allowed by Notre Dame all season and handed the Irish their third straight loss.

Pittsburgh improves to 8-1 overall and 4-1 in the Big East. Barton now moves into the scoring lead for the Panthers with a career-high 14 points on five goals and four assists.

Pittsburgh returns to action this Wednesday, Oct. 4, when the Panthers play host to West Virginia in a Big East matchup at Shaler Area High School. Game time is 7:30 p.m.