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FINAL: No. 8 North Carolina 1, No. 13 Pitt 0

Photo courtesy University of North Carolina athletics
 ACC Women’s Soccer

FINAL: North Carolina 1, Pitt 1

Match Stats

Match Summary

No. 13 Pitt women’s soccer were on the losing end in a hard-fought battle, with No. 8 North Carolina walking away from Ambrose Urbanic Field with 1-0 win on Thursday night.

The Panthers weren’t without their chances, outshooting the visitors 15-9 (5-1 on frame) but the Tar Heels made their one shot on goal count, as Kate Faasse took advantage of a defensive lapse on a long, direct ball that sailed past the center of the Pitt back line.

Fasse took a touch after making a perfectly timed run behind the last defenders, then beat Pitt keeper Ellie Breech by going to her right foot, placing a shot in the bottom right side of goal.

The Panthers had their chances, including a close range save from UNC keeper Clare Gagne, denying Ellie Coffield’s downward header from the far post area following a Sarah Schupansky cross.

The Panthers return to action with a two-match swing in California, as they’ll take on Cal next Thursday, followed by a tilt with No. 1 Stanford on Sunday, September 29.

Look for a more detailed recap along with reaction from this match to follow.  

Match Preview

Pitt women’s soccer team hosts No. 8 North Carolina Thursday evening at Ambrose Urbanic Field. The ACC matchup between a pair of teams ranked in the top 10 in the initial NCAA RPI released Monday is slated for a 7 p.m. kickoff and will air live on the ACC Network Extra.

This will be the first time the two schools meet since the ACC Quarterfinal Round match which saw the Panthers go on the road to Chapel Hill, to stun the longtime National powerhouse in extra time — for its first-ever win in the ACC tournament.

Pitt women’s soccer defeats No. 3 North Carolina in Extra Time to move onto ACC Semis

Looking over at the other sideline, the Panthers will face a team that has seen a lot of turnover, losing many players to graduation.  However, one player that remains is junior Tessa Dellarose, as the Brownsville High School graduate was named one of three team captains, along with a pair of seniors, before the season.

“It means a lot, especially being a junior,” Dellarose said.

“It definitely is a big honor. We vote on captains so your teammates vote you in. Just knowing they respect me enough to put my name down as someone to lead the team … I’m grateful for that.”

Dellarose has earned her stripes with the Tar Heels as a defender. She stepped right into a key role as a freshman when she played in 23 games and made 21 starts, averaging 57 minutes per match. She was named to the 2022 ACC All-Freshman Team, the All-ACC Third Team and All-Academic Team.

She earned a spot on the All-Academic Team again her sophomore season when she was one of nine Tar Heels to play in all 23 matches and scored her first collegiate goal to go along with two assists.

North Carolina opened ACC play with a 1-0 win over Wake Forest Thursday, Sept. 12. The Tar Heels have won two consecutive matches since their lone defeat to Duke (1-0) in a non-conference match Sept. 5. North Carolina also has a 4-3 win over No. 16 Georgia on its ledger this season. Junior Kate Faasse leads the Tar Heels with six goals and 13 points, while goalie Clare Gagne has five clean sheets and is allowing just 0.78 goals per game.

Additional Pitt Match Notes

IN THE POLLS

Pitt ranks ninth overall in the first RPI Ranking and also returned to the national polls at No. 13 in the Top Drawer Soccer rankings. North Carolina enters Thursday’s contest ranked fourth in RPI, eighth by US Soccer Coaches, and sixth by Top Drawer Soccer.

THE SERIES

Thursday’s match will be the ninth meeting between the Panthers and the Tar Heels with North Carolina holding the 7-1 edge in the series. Pitt topped the third-ranked Tar Heels, 2-1, in the ACC Championship Quarterfinals in the lone meeting between the two schools, last season. Ellie Coffield scored in the 72nd minute with a header off a feed from Landy Mertz and Amanda West tallied the second goal with Mertz and Sarah Schupansky earning assists on the scoring sequence at the end of the first overtime period.

PITT IN THE STATISTICAL RANKINGS

The Panthers are currently ranked in the top-10 in the nation in assists per game (3rd – 4.11), corner kicks per game (8th – 8.44), points per game (5th – 10.56), shots per game (3rd – 27.11), shots on goal per game (4th – 12.22), total assists (2nd – 37), total goals (3rd – 26), total points (2nd – 95), and goal differential (4th – +23).

SCHUPANSKY THE STAR

Sarah Schupansky is off to a fantastic start to her senior season leading the nation in assists (12), assists per game (1.33), and shots on goal per game (3.22). She is just two assists shy of matching her own school record for most assists earned in a single season. Schupansky also ranks second in the country with 22 points (5 G / 12 A) and third in shots per game (5.22).

 

The Pittsburgh, Pa., native matched a program record with four assists in a 6-1 win over Dartmouth (Sept. 5) and became the second player in Pitt history to record 100 career points during the 7-0 win over Mercyhurst.

BREECH ONE WIN AWAY

Junior Ellie Breech matched a program record with her 22nd career victory in goal for the Panthers in the 3-1 win over Louisville. The Mechanicsburg, Pa., native has 105 saves over 38 career contests for the Panthers.

LAST TIME OUT

Pitt topped the Louisville Cardinals, 3-1, Saturday, Sept. 14 at Ambrose Urbanic Field to open their ACC campaign. The Panthers started things off strong – putting their names on the board first in the 11th minute. Senior Keera Melenhorst found an opening between the Cardinal keeper and the net after a few quick clean passes from Chloe Minas and Lola Abraham. The Cardinals tied the game on a penalty kick and the match entered the half tied at 1-1, despite the Panthers holding the 14-2 edge in shots and 6-1 edge in shots on goal. The Panthers came out of the locker room ready for more. Samiah Phiri had an electric second half – scoring two goals for the second brace of her career. In the 72nd minute, Phiri danced around a couple of Cardinal defenders to find her opening in the back of the net – putting Pitt up, 2-1. Just over ten minutes later, Phiri secured her second goal of the night off a penalty kick to secure the win for the Panthers. Pitt did what they do best – dominating the pitch in all aspects. The Panthers held the edge in total shots, 27-5, shots on goal, 12-2, corner kicks, 4-2 and overall possession, 58%.

UP NEXT

The Panthers head west for a pair of first-time conference games next week beginning with a Thursday, Sept. 26 match at Cal (7 p.m.). Pitt will also play at Stanford Sunday, Sept. 29 (4 p.m.) as part of their second trip to California this season. The Panthers scored early season road wins over Loyola Marymount and Cal State Fullerton.

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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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