Strong start fuels second-straight 5-0 shutout victory for Pitt women

From University of Pittsburgh Athletic Department report

Pitt women’s soccer’s (4-0-0) defeated NJIT (0-4-0) for its second-straight 5-0 shutout victory Sunday afternoon at Ambrose Urbanic Field. In their most dominant victory of the season, the Panthers outshot the Highlanders 27-2 along with an 11-0 corner kicks and 78%-22% possession total advantages.

“We had a much better start today than we did Thursday,” said Pitt head coach Randy Waldrum.

“Loved the ball movement and intensity early on. I felt we had a handle on the game from the opening whistle. It was great to see five different players score goals for us, and some were very well conceived. Our young players continue to improve and are fitting into the team nicely. It’s also great getting goals out of midfield as well with Coffield, Bout, and Rytel all getting on the score sheet. Defensively I thought we were very organized, and Ashton did a great job getting the back line tight and disciplined.

Ellie Coffield give Pitt the lead for good with her second goal of the year, both game-winners, in the 17th minute, one-touching the ball in the left side of the net with her left foot from a pass by Amanda West that came right after a corner kick.

Anna Bout doubled the Panthers’ lead in the 40th minute, chipping a shot past the goalkeeper from the right side of the box after Leah Pais sneaked a pass behind the last line of other defenders. Emily Harrigan picked up the secondary assist.

Amanda West recorded her fourth goal of the season in the 56th minute. Receiving a pass deep in the midfield from Ashton Gordon, West dribbled the ball straight into the top of the box and buried a shot into the top right corner of the net.

Landy Mertz notched her first goal of the season in the 62nd minute, executing a give-and-go with

Sarah Schupansky to place a shot into the left side of the net from the right side of the box with the help of a screen in front of the goalkeeper by Bout.

Krystyna Rytel also got her first goal of the year in the 83rd minute. Rytel took a free kick many yards above the right side of the box and hit the left side of the cross bar and the ground and went just past the goal line.

Pitt goes back on the road but stays in Pennsylvania for a Thursday matchup with Saint Joseph’s at 7 p.m. before welcoming No. 9 TCU Sunday at 1 p.m.

“Big week ahead of us on the road Thursday and back home on Sunday,” Waldrum said. “Two talented teams that will certainly stretch us. We enjoyed today and will get back to work!”

NEWS AND NOTES

• Katherine Robinson (2-0) and Caitlyn Lazzarini combined for the team’s third shutout of the season, with Robinson making two saves.
• NJIT’s Christine Conaghy was given a red card in the 27th minute.
• Pitt has started 4-0 the last two years under Waldrum.
• The Panthers are 8-1 in their last nine home games with the lone loss coming to No. 1 Florida State last year.
• West has scored in each of the first four games in all three seasons of her career.
• 28 Panthers appeared in the game.
• Pitt has seven goals this season from non-starters with at least one from each game, including two in this contest.
• Emily Yaple, Leah Pais and Bout both had game-highs of three shots, and they and Katelyn Kauffman each tied for game-highs for shots on goals (two).
• The 11 corner kicks tied for the most in the Waldrum era (1-0 win at The Citadel, Sept. 27, 2020) and tie for the seventh-most in program history.
• The meeting was the first between the two schools.