Six goals, six scorers, but still no first-half answers for Pitt Panthers

© University of Pittsburgh Athletics

Earlier in the week, Ben Waldrum jumped on a conference call to prepare for the Pittsburgh vs. Dartmouth women’s soccer matchup, and broadcast, on Thursday night.

When asked about Sarah Schupansky and her prolific assisting rate — she entered Thursday night’s match with six assists — Waldrum complimented her work on offense but made a clear note: Schupansky, who had three goals before Thursday, is much happier when she scores than she assists.

If you look at the box score from Thursday night’s 6-1 win over Dartmouth, you’d have a hard time believing that.

Schupansky put up a whopping four assists and scored the fifth goal of the match. After her goal, she was immediately taken out, giving her some much-needed rest before Sunday’s senior night and ahead of ACC play.

Waldrum didn’t want to take Schupansky out until she got her name on the scoresheet, but he joked that the senior forward left her associate head coach in much longer of a suspense than he wanted.

“It was interesting debate on the sideline because once you get a few goals, you have to start protecting these kids because ACC play is coming up,” Waldrum shared post-game. “I told her when she came off that she left that about five or 10 minutes longer than I wanted her to, because when she got her goal, we pulled her right off. We didn’t want to before that. Goal scorers are a little streaky sometimes too. I would be more worried if we pulled her off without a goal. I was glad to see her get one.”

74' | SHE'S UNSTOPPABLE 😤@sarahschupansky finds the back of the net to make it 5-1 for the Panthers! @keeramelenhorst & Ava Boyd earned the assists 🔥

PITT – 5 | DART – 1

📺 https://t.co/NjyH5xLfdz pic.twitter.com/UgI69i6dnU

— Pitt Women's Soccer (@Pitt_WSOC) September 6, 2024

The Panthers had six different goal-scorers on Thursday night, with Schupansky providing the assists for Keera Melenhorst, Samiah Phiri, Olivia Lee and Ava Boyd.

“I know my teammates are going to work as hard as they can to get on what I put into the box,” Schupansky said, deflecting any credit for herself. “It’s all credit to them. I’m doing my best, doing my part, and they’re doing a heck of a job to do their part.”

Schupansky almost had a second goal, as well, but a foul was called on Boyd inside the box, taking away what would have been a goal from a long-distance free kick.

“Sometimes our goalkeeper coach, Jesse [Goleman], is really adamant about putting enough curve on it, so the goalkeeper doesn’t know if it’s a shot or a cross,” Schupansky said. “Getting the ball into the box and getting some position on it is what I try to do. Sometimes they curl in.

“That one, unfortunately didn’t count, but I’m never going to be upset with effort from my teammates to get on the end of it.”

First half finishing woes, and a major spark from Breech

The Panthers have scored two goals in the first half this entire season.

In the second half? The Panthers have 16 goals.

Waldrum credited the offensive production and having six different goal scorers, but he also couldn’t help but notice the lack of finishing the first half. This season, one word has frequently come up in conversation with the associate head coach: efficiency.

“We felt the game could have been out of reach in the first half,” he said. “We left some stuff on the field. That’s something we addressed and preached at halftime. At least glad that they responded. Certainly, a couple things happened in the game, and the penalty save from Breech changed the game, changed the momentum. That was huge for us.”

Breech was already a focus leading into the match. Thursday night was a ‘red night’ to raise awareness of CPR Training and heart health. This offseason, Breech saved her father’s life by performing nine minutes of CPR on him, during a freak health scare on Christmas Day.

WHAT A STOP 🛑

Wanted to relive @BreechEllie save of the game 🧤#H2P pic.twitter.com/WnOKlOpYwQ

— Pitt Women's Soccer (@Pitt_WSOC) September 7, 2024

With her family, including her father, in the stands, Breech gave the Panthers the spark they needed, denying Dartmouth leading goal scorer Daisy Granholm of a penalty.

Breech said she felt a lot of “good energy” going into the stop.

“I just felt like I knew where it was going,” Breech said, smiling. “I took a leap of faith, got behind it and I think it made our team have a little bit more of a spark of energy and get the job done.”

“She just won’t stop making these saves,” Schupansky added.

After Breech’s save, Melenhorst scored. Within three minutes, Phiri and Lee added goals. For the sophomore defender Lee, it was her first in a Panthers uniform. Also adding her first Panthers goal, and first collegiate goal, was Ava Boyd, the transfer from Michigan State, and the Pine-Richland alum.

“I’ve been waiting for it for a while now. I was obviously super excited,” Boyd said. “It’s my first collegiate goal. I redshirted at Michigan State, so to be able to score in my hometown, and on my home field. I’m glad that it wasn’t away. That felt better… It’s not the prettiest first goal, but it counts the same. That’s what Ben told me, they all count the same.”

Waldrum said that Boyd’s play in the recent road trip and at home against Dartmouth has given the coaching staff something to think about.

“Ava, for us, if I recall correctly, it was Bucknell that she came on and changed the game for us,” Waldrum stated. “When you’re preaching to players all the time that don’t get the minutes they want, anytime they get their opportunity you have to take it, that’s what’s pleasing about Ava getting her goal. In the last three weeks, she’s been taking advantage of her opportunities.

“Now, as a staff, we’re saying we have to get her some more time.”

Rebounding at home

Coming into the match, the feeling was different for the Panthers. In the entire 2023 season, Pittsburgh was undefeated at Ambrose Urbanic Field, not losing a single contest.

However, in the first home game of the season this year, Pitt dropped a contest to Buffalo.

“Defending our home turf is something we take extremely personally,” junior goalkeeper Breech said. “After that loss against Buffalo, especially at home, it hits different. We can’t ever lose at home. Today, when we hit the field, we had a whole different attitude of what it means to defend our turf, whether that means doing a PK save, or a crazy header off a corner to score, we were ready to do whatever it takes to make it happen.”

Boyd agreed, saying winning at home meant a lot to the Panthers.

“I think we definitely have grown since the Buffalo game,” the sophomore shared. “Our two away games went really well in California, but Buffalo was a game where we realized we needed to get ourselves together and work on a lot. I think we succeeded in doing that.”

However, it wasn’t a perfect result. The Panthers are still looking for ways to find the back of the net in the first half.

“I think maybe a little more composure from everybody,” Schupansky said. “We were creating the chances, we just need to finish them. A little bit more composure, ease and confidence in the first half will change things for us.”

Waldrum said that message will continue into Sunday, when the Panthers host new-Division I school Mercyhurst. It is also Senior Day, as the Panthers will be honoring Samiah Phiri, Mackenzie Evers, Keera Melenhorst, Sarah Schupansky, Ellie Coffield and Ashley Moon — who got her first minutes of the season against Dartmouth after battling various injuries.

“The biggest thing for us is continuing the trend to create chances and trying to put the ball in the back of the net,” Waldrum reflected. “Defensively, we improved in the last few weeks, and I think we have that shored up a little bit. It’ll be kind of the same message. I’m not sure we changed the message since day one, so that’s what we’ll want to see on Sunday.”

Nothing better than winning at home 🏡 #H2P pic.twitter.com/LT4azWOZkP

— Pitt Women's Soccer (@Pitt_WSOC) September 6, 2024