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#PGHSoccer Women's College Round-Up: RMU Nabs 1st Win, Dukes Bounce Back

From Various Reports
It was a busy weekend of action, as I’ve already shared that West Virginia’s women’s team has ascended to the top spot in the National polls after an impressive win over #5 Duke.
Here are some reports from local women’s college teams that were in action — in our weekly College round-up…

ROBERT MORRIS WIN FIRST OF YEAR!

Kasia Bak forced a turnover and scored in the 93rd minute to give the Robert Morris University women’s soccer team its first win of the season, 1-0, against Ohio University Sunday afternoon at North Athletic Complex. The Colonials are now 1-6.
Early in the first overtime session, Ohio was looking to reset and sent a pass back to the keeper from 30-yards away. Bak read it the whole way and sprinted from the center of the field, intercepting the ball and touching past Ohio keeper Erin Beurket. Saving the ball from going over the endline, Bak took two touches in toward goal and fired home the gamewinner in the 93rd minute.
The score was the eighth overtime winner in team history and the first by the Colonials since 2011 when Brianna Bell beat Sacred Heart in the 105th minute off a Jaimie Morra assist.
 
The Colonials finished the opening half with a 12-1 advantage in shots and a 19-10 edge for the game. Shearson had four saves to record her first shutout as a Colonial. Beurket had eight saves for the visiting Bobcats.
Robert Morris hosts Howard in a 4:00 p.m. match Thursday, Sept. 15 at North Athletic Complex.
PITT FALLS TO KENT STATE IN DOUBLE OT 
A goal in the 102nd minute lifted the Golden Flashes of Kent State to a double overtime victory over the University of Pittsburgh women’s soccer team on Sunday night, falling 2-1 at Ambrose Urbanic Field.
 
After the game was knotted up in the 54th minute, the two teams remained tied until the opening minutes of the second overtime, when Kent State was able to score off of a turnover and ensuing scramble in front of the net.
 

“Kent State hasn’t played in two weeks so I credit them,” said head coach Greg Miller.
“[Kent State] played hard and we expected them to do just that. What a quick turnaround for us being that we just traveled to Kansas. We have to be better, at the end of day we are too much like an accordion. We open ourselves up to monumental mistakes and then we close it in and things are good. There are too many open and close situations and we have to shut it down.”

 
Neither team was able to score in the first half, as a defensive battle was the tone of the evening. Kent State would score first in the 51st minute when Jenna Hellstrom connected on a penalty kick.
 
Pitt tied things up just two minutes later as Niki Hopkins scored her first of the season. Kaylee Rabatin kicked the ball in from the far side of the field following a Kent State foul, as Hopkins would smack the ball in behind the goalkeeper to knot it up at 1-1.
 
Panther senior goalkeeper Taylor Francis set the pace for the remainder of the contest, coming up with a multitude of clutch saves to keep Pitt in it.
 
In the opening minutes of the second overtime, however, Kent State would get a shot on goal, as Francis came up with the save but was unable to secure the rebound and Karli Paracca put the ball past a scrambling Francis to lift the Golden Flashes to victory.
 
With the loss, Pit falls to 1-6-1 on the season, closing out non-conference play before opening up ACC action.
 

“It’s going to be a meat grinder as it always is,” added Miller. “Every opponent brings something different. As I told the team at halftime, if this is how we are going to play especially on Sunday games during ACC play it is going to be a long season. We have to do a better job of being sharper mentally and physically.”

 
The Panthers will face off against Louisville at home to begin their ACC stretch, welcoming the Cardinals to the Petersen Sports Complex for a televised broadcast on Saturday, Sept. 17.

DUKES BEAT XAVIER, BATTLE BEARCATS TO DRAW ON WEEKEND TRIP TO CINCY

dukes-ladies-ii

Duquesne forward Katie O’Connor (photo courtesy Duquesne University Athletics) 


The Duquesne women’s soccer team spent the past weekend in Cincinnati with a pretty successful trip — beating Xavier 2-0, then a 1-1 draw Sunday afternoon at Gettler Stadium.
After losing its third game on Sept. 2 to Longwood, it was a nice bounce back weekend for the Dukes.
Cincinnati was the first to find the back of the net when Vanessa Gilles connected from a pass by Katy Couperus, beating Kyra Murphy in the in the 21st minute.
The Dukes were held scoreless in the first half, despite outshooting the Bearcats 6-4, with Cincinnati leading 1-0 at halftime.
Ivana Kristic opened the second half with a game-tying goal in the 46th minute, and Linnea Faccenda was credited with the assist.
O’Connor would go on to find a scoring opportunity in the 89th minute, but her shot was blocked by Cincinnati keeper Natalie Smith, bringing the game into overtime.
Cincinnati had the first chance to score in the 91st minute, but Katy Couperus‘ back-to-back shots were blocked.
Faccenda’s attempt in the 97th minute was stopped by Smith, bringing the game into the second overtime.
A shot by Couperus in the 110th minute was the final scoring chance for either team.
“Today was a war of attrition between two physical, committed teams. At the end of the day a draw is probably a fair result. I couldn’t be more proud of the way our kids battled through two tough games and finished the weekend unbeaten,” Al Alvine, Duquesne Head Coach.
UP NEXT: The Dukes will return home to face Akron on Friday at 7p.m and will compete again on Sunday against Princeton at 12 p.m.

POINT PARK LOSE AT MT. VERNON NAZERENE

Point Park University women’s soccer came home empty-handed after a 4-0 loss at Mount Vernon Nazarene University Saturday.
The Pioneers (0-3-1) were evenly matched 11-15 in shots against the Cougars (4-2) but could not seem to find the back of the net.
Mount Vernon scored in the 15th and 30th minutes to make the score 2-0 heading into halftime.
Point Park held Mount Vernon Nazarene scoreless for over 50 minutes until the Cougars put the game out of reach with goals less than one minute apart at the 83rdand 84th minute for a final score of 4-0.
Point Park freshman Morgan Willis started the game in goal, recording four saves, and freshman Alexa Dunn closed out the second half with two saves.
The Pioneers were not awarded any opportunities for corner kicks the entire game.
Point Park travels to NAIA (RV) Georgetown (Ky.) College on Tuesday, Sept. 13 for a 2 p.m. non-conference game.

John Krysinsky has covered soccer and other sports for many years for various publications and media outlets. He is also author of 'Miracle on the Mon' -- a book about the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, which chronicles the club, particularly the early years of Highmark Stadium with the narrative leading up to and centered around a remarkable match that helped provide a spark for the franchise. John has covered sports for Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, DK Pittsburgh Sports, Pittsburgh Sports Report, has served as color commentator on Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC broadcasts, and worked with OPTA Stats and broadcast teams for US Open Cup and International Champions Cup matches held in the US. Krysinsky also served as the Head Men’s Soccer Coach at his alma mater, Point Park University, where he led the Pioneers to the first-ever winning seasons and playoff berths (1996-98); head coach of North Catholic boys (2007-08), associate head coach of Shady Side Academy boys (2009-2014).

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