For 92 minutes on Saturday night, it looked like the Pittsburgh Riveters SC were going to suffer their first regular-season home loss in franchise history.
Instead, the sizable crowd came out in support, with 4,032 tickets distributed, witnessed one of the wildest finishes in Western Pennsylvania soccer history, culminating in an unforgettable, dying-seconds equalizer from a highly unlikely hero: goalkeeper Bailey Herfurth.
With the improbable but brilliant finish, the Riveters (1W-0L-1D, 4 points) not only leveled the match against a pesky Flower City side, but stay even with the Rochester, NY, club atop the W League’s Great Forest Division standings in the early portion of the season.
“I just looked over at the bench, saw the clock, and thought, ‘Why not?'” Herfurth said in her post-match interview.
“When the ball dropped in front of me, everything slowed down. I just tried to keep it low and hit it hard. To see it hit the back of the net and look up at the crowd… it’s a moment I will never, ever forget.”
Reflecting on the wild tactical battle and the cardiac finish, head coach Scott Gibson expressed a mix of relief and pride in his team’s refusal to quit.
“The bounce on their third goal was incredibly unlucky, but that response at the death shows the character of this group,” Gibson said.
“Having Bailey come up and finish like a seasoned striker? Just unbelievable. It keeps us top of the table, and we’ll take the point, but we have plenty of tape to clean up before Thursday.”
Pittsburgh struck early with a goal in the 14th minute, scored by forward Lola Abraham.
The shot came from just outside the box, and bounced just before the goal line before going in. Abraham took seven shots, with six of them being on target, in last week’s game against Buffalo — but failed to score.
This goal was the Pitt and former WPIAL standout’s first with the Riveters after sitting out last season due to an injury.
Flower City, playing direct but also with its holding midfield extending possessions, generated some chances and a handful of corners early as they matched Pittsburgh’s advances into final third.
That pressure finally paid off in the 37th minute when Olivia Pilato whipped a precise corner kick into the box, finding Amelia Breton for a sharp finish to level the score at 1-1.
Three minutes later, Ellen Molloy nearly answered back with a stinging effort from the left flank, but Parker full-extended for a diving, two-handed save.
The Riveters wouldn’t be denied before the break. In the 44th minute, a dangerous Molloy free kick caused absolute chaos in the Flower City penalty area. After bouncing like a pinball between multiple players, Shannon Studer expertly teed up center back Taylor Green, who buried a header into the net to regain a 2-1 lead.
But just as the fourth official signaled a solitary minute of first-half stoppage time, Flower City stunned the home crowd. Midfielder Sam Cipolla found space roughly 24 yards out and unleashed an absolute rocket that beat Herfurth, capping off a blistering sequence of three goals in 11 minutes to send the sides into halftime deadlocked at 2-2.
Looking to wrestling back control, Riveters head coach Scott Gibson tinkered with his lineup to begin the second half, inserting Minah Syam and Sabrina Bryan in place of Studer and Kennedy Neighbors.
The adjustments nearly paid off immediately. The Riveters earned a quick succession of corner kicks, but Parker remained active, punching away the dangerous aerial service. Lola Abraham then nearly produced a highlight-reel moment, executing a magnificent breakaway that spanned the entire length of the field, only to see her final shot roll agonizingly wide of the right post.
In the 63rd minute, Gibson managed his squad’s health by pulling Alexis Tylenda and center back Piper Coffield—the latter working her way through a strict minute restriction as she rehabs from a torn ACL. They were replaced by Emily Hanrahan and Gabby Lamparty.
As the half progressed, the match evolved into a physical war of attrition. Both defensive units adjusted, clamping down on passing lanes and drying up clear-cut scoring chances for a 26-minute stretch.
The stalemate shattered in the 81st minute under bizarre circumstances. A looping ball into the Riveters’ box took an odd ricochet off the head of substitute defender Gabby Lamparty. Flower City’s Andrea Wilson anticipated the weird bounce perfectly, squaring up the ball and then flicking it home with her outside right foot to hand Flower City their first lead of the night at 3-2.
With the clock ticking away, Gibson threw numbers forward, bringing on Brooke Fabri and Ashley Townsend in the 86th minute.
As the match entered three minutes of added stoppage time, a frantic Riveters corner was cleared out of bounds, seemingly ending the threat.
Still, Pittsburgh earned one final set piece, setting the stage for Herfurth to come running all the way up the field to create historic heroics.
The ball, once kicked in from the corner, bounced off a couple of players before rolling in front of Herfurth, who attends and plays for West Virginia University.
She kicked it right down the middle, turning what would have been a loss into a 3-3 draw.
The score also kept the Riveters at the top of the standings by goal differential, and prevented what would have been the team’s first regular-season home loss in its brief history.
This and That:
- Bella Vozar (Thomas Jefferson HS / American University) returns this season as the only player to appear in all 11 matches last season. Vozar has also started the first two matches this season.
- Bryan (former Canon-McMillan HS standout who starred at Hofstra) and Tyenda (Shaler / Kentucky) return to the Riveters as the second and third leading scorers from a year ago.
- The Riveters have yet to lose a regular season match at home.
- Thursday’s match vs Steel City FC — the third all-time meeting between the two sides and first this season — will be good early season clash as both have legit hopes to finish on top of the table. Steel City FC defeated FC Buffalo, 1-0, on the road on Friday, to open its season.
- New mascot Nellie (named for trailblazing female journalist Nellie Bly) made her second game appearance
- The Riveters sported their white kits with pink socks, while Flower City wore purple kits with a pink sash representing the suffragette movement.
- The crowd of 4,052 wasn’t a sellout — but again — this is a pre-professional soccer! It was a dreary, overcast night at FNB Stadium, but still, another strong turnout!
How It Happened
First Half
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8′ — Shot by Flower City, high and to the left.
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14′ — Corner kick for Pittsburgh.
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14′ — GOAL (PIT): Lola Abraham scores from outside the box, catching the keeper moving the wrong way. (1-0)
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15′ — Yellow Card issued to Ella Perkins (FC).
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21′ — Corner kick for Flower City, cleared.
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27′ — Shot by Flower City, whistles just wide to the left.
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29′ — Alexis Tylenda triggers a breakaway down the right wing; shot misses off-target.
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37′ — GOAL (FC): Amelia Breton scores off an assist from an Olivia Pilato corner kick. (1-1)
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40′ — Strong shot attempt from the left by Ellen Molloy, tipped away beautifully by Lindsay Parker.
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44′ — GOAL (PIT): Taylor Green scores on a header, assisted by Shannon Studer following a free kick sent in by Molloy. (2-1)
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45’+1 — GOAL (FC): Sam Cipolla scores an equalizer from 24 yards out. (2-2)
Second Half
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46′ — Riveters Sub: Minah Syam and Sabrina Bryan enter for Shannon Studor and Kennedy Neighbors.
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49′ — Riveters corner kick punched away authoritatively by Parker.
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55′ — Taylor Green makes a vital block on a dangerous shot inside the penalty box.
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56′ — Riveters shot forces a spectacular, diving two-handed save from Parker.
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63′ — Riveters Subs: Emily Hanrahan and Gabby Lamparty replace Alexis Tylenda and Piper Coffield.
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66′ — Flower City Subs: Sophia Puccia and Finn Cregan enter for Ella Perkins and Amelia Breton.
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75′ — A trickling, redirected ball is safely handled by Bailey Herfurth.
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76′ — Flower City Sub: Lindsay Ford replaces Sam Cipolla.
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81′ — GOAL (FC): Andrea Wilson pounces on an odd bounce inside the box and fires it home. (2-3)
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86′ — Riveters Subs: Brooke Fabri and Ashley Townsend replace Ellen Molloy and Brielle LeBerge.
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90’+3 — GOAL (PIT): Goalkeeper Bailey Herfurth scores off a corner-kick scramble to equalize at the death. (3-3)
Next Up
The Riveters will hit the road for a massive, early-season local derby this Thursday, May 28, traveling to Founders Field to take on cross-town rivals Steel City FC. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 PM. Steel City will enter the marquee clash riding high after kicking off their own campaign with a gritty 1-0 shutout victory at FC Buffalo on Friday night.
Lineups
Riveters Starting XI: Herfurth (GK); Piper Coffield, Bella Vozar, Taylor Green, Kennedy Neighbors, Ellen Molloy, Alexis Tylenda, Shannon Studer, Emma Butera, Lola Abraham, Brielle LaBerge
Subs used: Minah Syam, Sabrina Bryan, Emily Hanrahan, Brooke Fabri, Ashley Townsend
Flower City Starting XI: Lindsay Parker (GK); Catherine Rogers, Mia Gray, Sam Cipolla, Amelia Breton, Meghan Joerger, Andrea Wilson, Kyleigh Bathe, Ella Perkins, Olivia Pilato, Liana Tata
Subs used: Sophia Puccia, Finn Cregan, Lindsay Ford
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