Pitt
Ohio State
Women's Soccer Defeats Ohio State 2-1
8/30/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Aug. 30, 2009
Box Score | |
COLUMBUS, Ohio--Freshman Ashley Cuba scored the second of her two goals in the game's 79th minute and goalkeeper Morie Kephart made career-high tying seven saves in leading the Pitt women's soccer team to a 2-1 road win over Ohio State Sunday at OSU's Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. Pitt opens its season with a perfect 2-0-0 record for the first time in two seasons, while Ohio State drops to 1-1-1.
With the score tied at 1-1 in the game's 79th minute, Cuba finished her game-winning goal after finishing a deflected shot from teammate Laura Berbert. The score was setup by a Liz Carroll, who beat a defender off the dribble and served a crossing pass into the penalty area where Berbert struck the ball. Pitt goalkeeper Morie Kephart made a diving save with 32 seconds left, securing the win for Pitt.
"It was a total team effort today," Pitt Head Coach Sue-Moy Chin said. "We never gave up. We stayed strong and resilient. In the first half, we were heading straight into a strong wind and Ohio State was able to have many chances, but we stayed strong and never gave up. We never wavered. In the second half, we did a better job of possession and we created our own opportunities by pressuring their defenders."
The game stood at a 0-0 tie at halftime after Pitt was outshot 12-1 in the first half. Pitt's Kephart made several outstanding saves, registering all seven of her eight stops in the first half alone.
"Morie was incredible in goal today," Chin said. "She made several incredible saves including a one-on-one breakaway and a diving save on a shot at the goal's upper post. She also tipped away several corner kicks."
Pitt took a 1-0 lead in the game's 56th time when Cuba applied pressure and stole the ball deep in Buckeye territory and sent a shot past the Ohio State goalkeeper from the left wing from eight yards out.
Ohio State battled back to tie the score three minutes later when Paige Maxwell headed in the ball off a crossing pass from Danielle Scoliere. Kayla Eckman also registered an assist on the play.
Pitt's Cuba came off the bench to play 57 of the 90 minutes in the match. Her game-winning second goal came at the 78:28 mark. She has now scored three goals in Pitt's first two games.
Ohio State outshot Pitt 23-9 in the match but the Panthers closed the gap in the second half with eight shots. The match included four yellow cards, 21 total fouls and multiple stoppages for injuries.
Pitt is next in action at Kent State on Friday, Aug. 4 at 4 p.m. The Panthers then travel to Xavier for a Sunday, Sept. 6, match at 1 p.m. in Cincinnati.
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