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College Wrap-Around: Good Sunday for Dukes, not for Pitt, RMU

It was a good Sunday for both Duquesne’s programs, as the women and men picked up wins on Sunday, but both of Robert Morris’ and Pitt teams it was a tough weekend. In addition, we’ve added recaps for both WVU and Point Park women’s programs below as it was a tough weekend all around for teams in our region not named Duquesne.

On Saturday night, Pitt’s men had a fairly positive showing on the road against the number four ranked Akron, but came up short, 1-0, as former Kiski (Prep) School standout David Egbo‘s early goal was the difference.

David Egbo scored the lone goal in No. 4 Akron’s 1-0 win over Pitt on Saturday (Photo – Akron Univ. Athletics)

RELATED: Egbo’s ealy goal lifts Akron past Pitt men, 1-0

Our Zac Weiss was on top of things on the bluff this weekend, covering each of the three Duquense matches, as the men earned a split, bouncing back after Friday’s tough 1-0 OT loss to Northern Kentucky by dominating Detroit Mercy with a 3-0 win on Sunday. In the early match on Sunday at Rooney Field, the women’s side took care of business, thanks to a Casey Aunkst penalty kick and goalkeeper Kyra Murphy who broke the school career record for clean sheets.

Photo credit: Zachary Weiss

RELATED: Duquesne men dominate Detroit Mercy

Photo credit: Zachary Weiss

RELATED: Murphy sets clean sheet record in Duquesne win

Pitt Women fall to Mean Green in Texas swing finale

Pitt’s women’s soccer team wrapped up its Texas road trip Sunday afternoon, falling to North Texas 4-1 at Mean Green Stadium.

North Texas opened the scoring less than two minutes into the game, extending its lead 18 minutes later.

The Panthers (3-2-1) would cut the advantage in the 22nd minute as Mikayla Schmidt tallied her first of the season.

The Mean Green, however, would respond minutes later, regaining a two-goal advantage. The home team solidified the victory in the 47th minute, scoring their fourth of the game to earn the 4-1 decision.

Freshman keeper Katherine Robinson made her first career start, recording three saves in the first half. She was replaced by Amaia Pena in the second, who made two stops on the afternoon.

Offensively, Taylor Pryce recorded three shots, while freshman Mikayla Alcorn added a pair.

The Panthers will return home, kicking off a three-game home stand Thursday at 7 p.m. against cross-town foe Duquesne.

Pitt will wrap up non conference action Sunday against nationally-ranked Kansas before getting ACC play started against Louisville on Sept. 15.

Brace from Sherman not enough as Robert Morris men remain winless

brace from Robert Morris University men’s soccer senior forward Zac Sherman was not enough this afternoon from the North Athletic Complex, as Northern Kentucky used three goals in a 23-minute span to top the Colonials, 3-2.

Sherman nearly matched his season total from last season in the contest, netting a pair of tallies in the 24th and 88th minutes. Robert Morris (0-3-1, 0-0-0 NEC) jumped ahead early with the senior’s first goal, but Northern Kentucky (4-0-0, 0-0-0 NEC) and its high-powered attack grabbed an equalizer nine minutes later before taking control early in the second half.

RMU nearly went in front seconds after the opening touch as Cristian Palermo played Sherman into the box. The senior forward rounded the Norse keeper, but the angle was too tight to gain an early advantage.

Christian Snatchko, who was making his first career start in net for the Colonials, was on the top of his game early. He came up to make a save on Tom Suchecki in the third minute, dispelling of any pre-game jitters, and stopped an Alex Greive chance in the 10th minute.

After Roald Aas Ravlum forced a save out of Jim Barkei in the 23rd minute, RMU regained possession and rewarded itself with the match’s opening goal. Palermo sent a ball over the top to Sherman, who got behind the NKU back line. The senior caught Barkei charging forward and managed to chip it over his head, bouncing the ball into the net for his first goal of the season.

The Norse found an answer in the 33rd minute. Connor Probert swung a corner kick near the touchline, where a mess of bodies were located. Somehow it found the head of Alex Willis, who caught enough of the pass to bury a header to knot the match at 1-1.

NKU took the lead in the 50th minute off another set piece. The Norse took a free kick that bounced around for a brief moment, before Willis headed it over to Calvin Murphy, who skipped it just inside the right post. Six minutes later, Snatchko made the initial point-blank save on Willis, but Alex Greive was there to slot home the rebound.

An urgent Colonial side pushed to get back into the game following NKU’s third goal, but it wasn’t until the 88th minute where it pulled one back. Ravlum let loose an over-the-top pass to Sherman from midfield, connecting with him as he closed towards the 18. Barkei again charged forward to dislodge the ball, but the senior chipped it over his head to make it a one-goal game.

Snatchko made six saves in the defeat.

Palermo collected his first collegiate point with the assist on Sherman’s first tally.

Robert Morris is back in action on Saturday, Sept. 8 at 3:00 p.m. when it travels to Longwood.

RMU Women outscored by Valpo, 4-2

women’s soccer team completed a four-match road trip with a 4-2 defeat at Valparaiso this afternoon from Brown Field.

Senior midfielder Jane Schleicher continued her strong run of form for Robert Morris (1-5-0, 0-0-0 NEC), netting a pair of goals for her second brace of the season. However, Valparaiso (2-2-1, 0-0-0 MVC) received a historic four-goal effort from its forward Cory Griffith to come away with the victory.

Griffith opened the scoring in the 20th minute by sending home a cross from Adi Johnson. She added a second in the 34th minute on another cross, heading in a pass from Sydney Griffin.

Schleicher picked up her fourth goal of the season in the 38th minute. Kaele Kloc caught Schleicher with an over-the-top ball, and the senior chipped it over the Crusader goalkeeper to pull the Colonials within one.

A minute later, Griffith registered a hat trick with a shot from 12 yards out. She later added her fourth in the 48th minute thanks to another set-up by Griffin.

Schleicher scored her second with eight seconds to go. After Samantha Lackner found her fellow fourth-year with a ball over the top, Schleicher touched the ball around the keeper and calmly finished for her fifth goal of the campaign.

Sydney Bruckner made six saves in defeat. Julia Schmid came in at halftime and stopped two of the three shots she faced.

Schleicher moved up to fourth all-time at RMU in goals (16) and seventh in points (36) following her performance. She ranks second in both points per game (0.95) and goals per game (0.42), just behind Katie Dugan (1999-02).

Robert Morris returns home on Friday, Sept. 7 at 4:00 p.m. when it welcomes Howard to the North Athletic Complex.

WVU Women fall to No. 11 Georgetown

No. 17-ranked West Virginia University women’s soccer team suffered a 2-0 loss to No. 11 Georgetown this afternoon at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.

Playing in warm, sunny conditions, the Mountaineers (1-2-3) allowed an opponent to score first for the fourth time this season, as the Hoyas (4-0-2) capitalized on a chance from Meaghan Nally in the 35th minute. GU’s Kyra Carusa added an insurance goal in the 76th minute.

“Georgetown is the 11th-best team in the country and has a dynamic attack,” Mountaineer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown said. “I give a ton of credit to Georgetown for the way they finished their opportunities. Unfortunately, we didn’t respond. They have a great team.

“We have to complete the game. We have to have 90 minutes of a game. We had some bad moments today, and you can’t have bad moments against a top team like this. I’m going to lean on my upperclassmen, and I know they’re going to respond.”

The Hoyas’ second corner kick of the match in the 35th minute produced too much confusion in the box and led to GU’s first goal. Off the initial kick, the Mountaineers blocked three GU shot attempts. The third, a look by Grace Nguyen above the six-yard box, bounced to the feet of Nally, who immediately placed her shot toward the upper-left pocket for the Hoyas’ first-half advantage.

GU padded its lead in the 76th minute off a near-indefensible shot by Carusa. Defending inside the box, a clearance by Jordan Brewster bounced off the head of Vanessa Flores and went wide right. Carusa spun with the ball before ripping a quick shot from six-yards out that found the space between junior goalkeeper Rylee Foster and the right post for the Hoyas’ insurance goal.

Both teams finished with 14 shots. WVU senior midfielder Nadya Gill paced the field with four shots, and classmate Sh’Nia Gordon finished with a team-high two shots on-goal.

Foster made five saves, including four in the second half. GU’s Arielle Schechtman matched with four stops of her own, while the Hoya defense was credited with the team’s first stop of the match.

WVU finished with a 9-6 edge in corner kicks.

The Mountaineers nearly snagged their quickest goal of the 2018 season with a brilliant chance in the fourth minute. Sophomore forward Lauren Segalla pushed through two defenders before sending a thru ball to a streaking Gordon. Schechtman left her line and disrupted Gordon’s rhythm at the top of the box but failed to swipe the ball. Defended but with an angle on the goal, Gordon took a sliding shot from 12-yards out, but GU defender Jenna Staudt cleared the ball for the team save.

Junior forward Jade Gentile looked to get WVU on the scoreboard in the 28th minute, as she got an angle on a ball from freshman midfielder Addison Clark, but her close-range shot around a defender was stopped at the left post by Schechtman.

Foster fought to keep the Mountaineers’ deficit at one goal in the 52nd minute with back-to-back saves. The first stop was worthy of a highlight reel, as she pushed a high shot from Carusa up and away from the crossbar. Off the immediate corner kick, the Hoyas worked the ball high to Sarah Trissel, who took a hard shot from the top of the box that Foster caught at her line.

A long ball from senior defender Easther Mayi Kith in the 58th minute looked hopeful, as Gill chased it just over midfield before sending it wide to Gordon, but her shot near the top of the box was stopped at the right post by Schechtman

Down 2-0, the Mountaineers pushed forward in the 81st minute. Mayi Kith got a head on WVU’s final corner kick, but the ball was caught by Schechtman for the save. After a quick field flip, senior forward Hannah Abraham created a chance above the box and sent a lofting shot toward the net that also was stopped.

With less than five minutes remaining, Gill earned the Mountaineers’ last chance. A Hoya foul five-yards above the box gave the midfielder a direct look at the net, but her kick smacked off the crossbar and back into play.

Despite Sunday’s defeat, WVU maintains a 15-5-2 edge in the all-time series. The Mountaineers drop to 0-2-1 against ranked teams in 2018.

WVU returns to the road for a match at Clemson on Friday, Sept. 7, at 7 p.m.

Point Park women’s lose

Point Park University women’s soccer had a tough loss with Friday night’s 1-0 defeat to visiting Lourdes (Ohio) University at Highmark Stadium. Karlie O’Keefe scored with 5 seconds left in the second half for the only goal, which decided a very hard-fought and defensive battle on both sides.

Point Park took a goalkick with 15 seconds left in regulation, and Lourdes (2-0) won the ball down the left side of the field. Alyssa Swanson got the ball forward and crossed it to O’Keefe at the top of the 18. O’Keefe got around the defense and put in the game-winner, her third goal in two games.

The game looked destined for overtime — not only at the very end but also as the teams battled through a 0-0 tie until the 90th minute. There was lots of defense on both sides, and neither team had any opportunities from in close until O’Keefe’s late look.

Point Park had eight shots in the game with six coming in the first half. All six of those were on goal, but they came from outside the box. Neither team had much luck getting through the back line of the opposing defense but instead had to take longer shots.

Lourdes had just two shots in the first half. The Gray Wolves’ best opportunity of the half came on a corner kick, which had the ball trickling along the goalline after a few players collided at the near post. But midfielder Gabby Widman cleared the ball that was inches from being a goal. A couple of other times, Lourdes pushed the ball downfield toward the goal but could not get a shot off thanks to some important tackles from central defenders Abby Magliocca and Chloe Bowser as the score remained 0-0 at the half.

With 28 minutes left, Lourdes appeared to have a 1-0 lead on an own goal. But there was a late offsides call by the referee, and the goal was waved off. The ball had ended up in the net after a long cross from the left sailed over the Lourdes player but was knocked in by the trailing defender.

Another big moment in keeping the score 0-0 came in the 75th minute when Pioneers’ goalkeeper Ashtyn Webb made a leaping save on Erin Caldwell’s strike from 20 yards out and straight on. Caldwell tried to hit the top corner of the goal, but Webb knocked it away.

Lourdes ended up with nine shots with seven of them coming after halftime. Point Park had just two shots the second half. Lourdes goalkeeper Kiley Tristan made six of her seven saves the first 45 minutes while Point Park’s Webb made four of her six saves after halftime.

Point Park (0-3) is back in action on Monday with a home date versus Madonna (Mich.). Kickoff is 1 p.m. at Highmark Stadium. A reserves game between the schools will follow directly after at 3 p.m. Watch Live on the Point Park Sports Network at PointParkSports.com/Stretch

Glory on the Grass

Riverhounds MF Kenardo Forbes

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