Pitt women get attack going in home opener vs UMass, 6-1

High-scoring forward Amanda West and the Pitt Panthers continued their hot start to the 2022 season with a 6-1 win over UMass Thursday evening at Ambrose Urbanic Field.

West scored two more goals and added an assist, while Emily Yaple added a goal and an assist to pace the offensive attack.

Yaple scored with a quick right foot flick from the left side of the box just inside the six-meter mark off a thru-ball feed from West at the 14:23 mark to open the scoring. West added her first goal of the night less than six minutes later with a one-hop rocket into the right corner of the cage from just outside the 18.

Samaiah Phiri made it 3-0 Panthers off a pass from Ashley Moon at the 39:02 mark and Ashton Gordon converted a penalty kick at 40:57 to cap off the scoring in the opening half.

Pitt wasted no time making it 5-0 in the second half as West headed home a crossing ball from Yaple for her fourth goal of the season. She has now scored in all three games this season to extend her school record goals total to 37.

UMass scratched out a goal at the 50:35 mark as Bella Recinos deposited a bounding shot off the cross bar past diving Pitt goalkeeper Ellie Breech.

Landy Mertz capped off the scoring by converting a centering pass from near the endline by Anna Bout. Bout posted her second career multi-assist game of her career.

Pitt controlled the run of play throughout the contest dominating possession on the offensive end of the field. The Panthers held a 35-7 advantage in shots, including an 18-3 mark in shots on goal. Breech recorded a pair of saves in goal, while UMASS keepers combined for 12 saves.

The Panthers return to action Sunday, Aug. 29 with a road contest at Cleveland State.