Pulse of Pittsburgh Soccer: The Homecoming Edition

There is a distinct shift in the Western Pennsylvania air this time of year.

High school section races hit their midpoint, college programs buckle down into the meat of conference play, and professional squads face pivotal stretch-run fixtures.

This weekend carries a special resonance: It’s Homecoming.

Not only is it Homecoming on Oakland’s campus for the University of Pittsburgh, but it’s also Homecoming for my alma mater, Point Park University.

Playing and coaching at Point Park—where I served as head coach starting 30 years ago in 1996—was a defining chapter.

Then, we were nomadic. We didn’t have our own training facility or a true home stadium, moving from field to field across the city. Yet, that 1996 squad broke through for the program’s first-ever winning season and playoff berth, proving what was possible and laying the foundation for Point Park soccer to expand into a regional mainstay.

To see Point Park today—now officially full NCAA Division II members in the Mountain East Conference (MEC) after having their transition timeline expedited by the NCAA—playing home matches at FNB Stadium for a good part of the past 13-plus years is nothing short of incredible. (Though they will have to play matches this weekend at Rooney Field — so go figure)

What a milestone for the Pioneers, and what a sign of progress for Western PA soccer as a whole.

Excited to have more content coming in the next few days profiling Point Park men’s program and even tapping a bit into my past.

Speaking of content — we’ll do our best to keep up with High Schools (through our Daily Reports), the college teams (look for previews in mini-capsules to some of the weekend’s matches below) and of course, the Riverhounds, who head west to face Orange County as they look for a bounce-back result.  Look for more to come from Hounds training on Thursday as we catch up with them before they head Westward.

Here is the updated Pulse of Pittsburgh Soccer: Homecoming Edition with dedicated preview sections for Thursday night’s Women’s matches and Point Park University’s Sunday Homecoming fixtures integrated into the overall schedule.

Thursday Night Women’s College Soccer Previews (Sept. 24)

1. Robert Morris Women vs. Purdue Fort Wayne

• When: Thursday, Sept. 24 | 4:00 PM

• Where: AHN Montour

• Coverage: YouTube

• Capsule: RMU women’s soccer team is set to host a pair of Horizon League contests this week. The Colonials welcome Purdue Fort Wayne on Thursday, September 24 at 3:00 PM at the AHN Montour Junction Sports Complex before hosting Cleveland State on Sunday, September 27 at 1:00 PM at the North Athletic Complex. Thursday’s match will stream live on YouTube.

• RMU (3-4-1, 0-1-0 #HLWSOC) enters the week following its first Horizon League contest of the season. The Colonials fell 1-0 at Wright State on Saturday, recording five shots on goal in the second half but were unable to find the equalizer. Goalkeeper Emma Cameron made three saves in the contest. Through eight games, senior forward Madison Sievering leads the Colonials with two goals, two assists and six points. Senior captain Ava Trethewey and junior defender Alyssa Mella have each recorded two assists. Senior captain Shauna Gamble has played every minute of the season, logging 720 minutes on the pitch. In goal, Cameron has recorded three wins and three shutouts while posting a .815 save percentage.RMU and Purdue Fort Wayne have met nine times since 2015, with the Mastodons holding a 5-3-1 advantage in the all-time series. The Colonials have found success in the last two meetings, earning 3-0 and 2-0 victories over PFW in the previous two seasons.Trethewey scored three goals across those two contests, while Bailey Campbell and Ivy Chaskelson each recorded an assist.PFW (1-6-1, 0-1-0 #HLWSOC) is also coming off its first conference game of the season. The Mastodons fell 3-0 at Detroit Mercy after earning their first win of the season in their previous outing, a 3-0 victory at Saint Xavier.

2. Duquesne Women at Richmond

• When: Thursday, Sept. 24 | 5:00 PM

• Where: President’s Field (Richmond, VA)

• Coverage: ESPN+ / Live Stats

• Capsule: Second-year head coach Jessica Giegucz takes the Dukes on the road for the first leg of a Virginia trip. Duquesne’s attack has generated an impressive 42 shots over their last two matches, with sophomore Brynn Ramsey ranking near the top of the A-10 in assists. Senior leader Jayden Sharpless and senior keeper Ali Hughes (.833 save %) will look to set the tone early away from home.

3. Pitt Women at Syracuse

• When: Thursday, Sept. 24 | 7:00 PM

• Where: SU Soccer Stadium (Syracuse, NY)

• Coverage: ACC Network Extra (ACCNX)

• Capsule: Ben Waldrum’s Panthers hit the road for an important ACC clash under the lights as they can use the boost of getting an ACC result on the road.  Pitt will look to control tempo and secure valuable away points in the rugged ACC table before returning home to Oakland for their Sunday Homecoming marquee match against Duke.

Update: Steel City FC Learns Opponent for U.S. Open Cup Qualifying Round 2

Looking ahead on the calendar, we have a major local cup fixture locked in for Saturday, October 3.

Following their thrilling penalty kick victory over Croatia Cleveland in Round 1, Steel City FC will host FC New York in the Second Round of 2027 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Qualifying. Kickoff is set for 6:00 PM at UPMC Graham Field in Wilkinsburg.

This match carries a heavy dose of déjà vu: FC New York was Steel City’s very first qualifying opponent during last autumn’s historical run, where Steel City advanced after a wild 3–2 victory.

With the Riverhounds off that weekend, October 3 presents local soccer fans with a premier home opportunity to support high-stakes, win-or-go-home cup soccer right here in the 412.

College Soccer Mini-Capsule WEEKEND Previews (Sept. 25–27)

1. Pitt Men vs. Louisville

• When: Friday, Sept. 25 | 7:00 PM

• Where: Ambrose Urbanic Field (Pittsburgh, PA)

• Coverage: ACC Network Extra (ACCNX)

• Capsule: Jay Vidovich’s squad returns home after a gritty 2–1 West Coast victory at Cal that got the Panthers right back into the ACC hunt. Pitt welcomes a dangerous Louisville side for a Friday night showcase under the lights at Ambrose. With home-field advantage and a ranked resume already building, securing three ACC points against the Cardinals is vital before heading back on the road to Syracuse next week.

2. Riverhounds SC at Orange County SC

• When: Saturday, Sept. 26 | 10:00 PM ET

• Where: Championship Soccer Stadium (Irvine, CA)

• Coverage: KDKA+ / ESPN+

• Capsule: The Hounds make their final long West Coast trip of the regular season for an “After Dark” showdown in Irvine. Orange County SC enters in turmoil having sacked manager Paul Buckle mid-week following a cold streak. Pittsburgh will look to exploit a transition-phase host and claim crucial road points to bolster their USL Championship playoff positioning.

3. Duquesne Men at Saint Louis

• When: Saturday, Sept. 26 | 7:30 PM ET

• Where: Hermann Stadium (St. Louis, MO)

• Coverage: ESPN+

• Capsule: Chase Brooks’ Dukes absorb their first loss of the season—a late 1–0 heartbreak at #21 West Virginia—and head straight into one of the Atlantic 10’s toughest environments. Saint Louis always presents a marquee test at Hermann Stadium, but Duquesne’s stingy defensive unit (led by Sam Coss and backline stalwarts) will look to replicate their strong A-10 form on the road.

4. Robert Morris Men at Green Bay

• When: Saturday, Sept. 26 | 3:00 PM ET

• Where: Aldo Santaga Stadium (Green Bay, WI)

• Coverage: ESPN+

• Capsule: Jonathan Potter’s Colonials take their Horizon League campaign on the road to Wisconsin. Anchored by Anelson Azard’s goal-scoring punch up front and Josh Lane in net, RMU aims to pocket crucial away points in the Horizon League table against a tough Green Bay squad.

5. Pitt Women vs. Duke

• When: Sunday, Sept. 27 | 1:00 PM

• Where: Ambrose Urbanic Field (Pittsburgh, PA)

• Coverage: ACCNX

• Capsule: Part of Pitt’s Homecoming festivities, Waldrum’s Panthers host national power Duke at Ambrose Urbanic Field. Following a mid-week trip to Syracuse, the Panthers face a premier ACC test in front of a energetic home crowd.  This could be a good recipe to get things turned in a positive direction in ACC play with a couple of results this weekend.

Western PA Soccer Master Calendar (Sept. 24 – Oct. 4)

Date	Time	Matchup / Event	H / A	Venue / Location	League / Notes
Thu 9/24	4:00 PM	RMU Women vs. Purdue Fort Wayne	Home	North Athletic Complex (Moon Twp, PA)	Horizon League
Thu 9/24	5:00 PM	Duquesne Women at Richmond	Away	Richmond, VA	A-10
Thu 9/24	7:00 PM	Pitt Women at Syracuse	Away	Syracuse, NY	ACC
Fri 9/25	7:00 PM	Pitt Men vs. Louisville	Home	Ambrose Urbanic Field (Pittsburgh, PA)	ACC Clash
Sat 9/26	3:00 PM	RMU Men at Green Bay	Away	Green Bay, WI	Horizon League
Sat 9/26	7:30 PM	Duquesne Men at Saint Louis	Away	St. Louis, MO	A-10 Battle
Sat 9/26	10:00 PM	Riverhounds SC at Orange County SC	Away	Championship Stadium (Irvine, CA)	USL Championship
Sun 9/27	12:00 PM	Point Park Women vs. Glenville State	Home	Rooney Field (Pittsburgh, PA)	NCAA DII / MEC (Homecoming)
Sun 9/27	1:00 PM	Duquesne Women at VCU	Away	Richmond, VA	A-10
Sun 9/27	1:00 PM	Pitt Women vs. Duke	Home	Ambrose Urbanic Field (Pittsburgh, PA)	ACC / Homecoming
Sun 9/27	1:00 PM	RMU Women vs. Cleveland State	Home	North Athletic Complex (Moon Twp, PA)	Horizon League
Sun 9/27	2:30 PM	Point Park Men vs. Salem	Home	Rooney Field (Pittsburgh, PA)	NCAA DII / MEC (Homecoming)
Thu 10/1	7:00 PM	RMU Women at Detroit Mercy	Away	Detroit, MI	Horizon League
Fri 10/2	7:00 PM	Pitt Men at Syracuse	Away	Syracuse, NY	ACC
Sat 10/3	12:00 PM	RMU Men vs. Milwaukee	Home	North Athletic Complex (Moon Twp, PA)	Horizon League
Sat 10/3	6:00 PM	Steel City FC vs. FC New York	Home	UPMC Graham Field (Wilkinsburg, PA)	U.S. Open Cup Qualifier
Sat 10/3	7:00 PM	Duquesne Men at George Mason	Away	Fairfax, VA	A-10
Sat 10/3	7:00 PM	Pitt Women vs. Miami	Home	Ambrose Urbanic Field (Pittsburgh, PA)	ACC
Sun 10/4	1:00 PM	Duquesne Women vs. George Washington	Home	Rooney Field (Pittsburgh, PA)	A-10 / Youth Day
Sun 10/4	1:00 PM	RMU Women at Oakland	Away	Rochester, MI	Horizon League