University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Women's Soccer to Host Boston College, Syracuse
10/7/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Boston College: ESPN3 | Live Stats
Syracuse: Video ($) | Live Stats
PITTSBURGH – The Pitt women’s soccer team (9-2-1, 3-1-0 ACC) will look to rebound after suffering its first defeat in 37 days last Saturday when it hosts Boston College (8-4-1, 2-1-1 ACC) on Thursday, Oct. 8, at 7 p.m. and Syracuse (4-9-1, 0-4-0 ACC) on Sunday, Oct. 11, at 1 p.m.
Thursday’s game will be shown live from Ambrose Urbanic Field on ESPN3.
The Panthers are 0-7-0 all-time against Boston College, with four of those losses coming in Pittsburgh. The two teams last met on Sept. 25, 2014 when the Eagles claimed a 3-1 victory on their own home field.
Against the Orange, Pitt is 4-10-3 in its history. However, the Panthers edged Syracuse, 1-0, in their last meeting to claim their first conference win as ACC members on Sept. 28, 2014.
Following these two matchups, Pitt will finish the year against opponents that have been or are currently ranked in the national top 25 this season in No. 7 Clemson, Duke, and No. 9 Virginia Tech on the road before wrapping up the regular season at home against No. 3 Virginia.
NOTES & INFORMATION
LAST TIME OUT...
The Panthers fell to No. 2 Florida State, 6-0, in Tallahassee, Fla. Despite the result, Pitt created a number of quality opportunities to score against the reigning champions – recording four shots, two on goal, and earning a pair of corner kicks. The loss snapped a program record eight-game win streak and handed Pitt its first defeat since Aug. 27 at Northern Colorado.
WEEKLY AWARDS
Sophomore forward Taylor Pryce netted two game-winning goals to procure ACC Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors on Sept. 29. The Thornhill, Ontario, native was also named to TopDrawerSoccer.com’s Team of the Week and was selected as First National Bank’s Female Athlete of the Week. Junior goalkeeper Taylor Francis received the ECAC’s DI Women’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week honors on Sept. 30. The awards were the first weekly conference nods for the Panthers since 2012.
POLL POSITIONS
Pitt’s record win streak garnered it national attention. In last week’s NSCAA Coaches Poll, the Panthers received a vote to join the national top-25 rankings. The team also moved to 10th into the NSCAA’s Southeast Region rankings on Sept. 29, a group that includes the top three teams in the nation and two of the last three national champions.
PULLING RANK
Pitt’s hot start has come with some top-notch statistical rankings in several categories. As of Oct. 5, here is where the Panthers checked in at a glance:
- Shots on Goal per Game (9.42) – 5th nationally, 1st ACC
- Assists per Game (2.17) – 22nd nationally, 4th ACC
- Shutout Percentage (.500) – 39th nationally, 5th ACC
- Save Percentage (.817) – 79th nationally, 3rd ACC
OFFENSIVE HARMONY
Freshman Jarena Harmon is putting together a tremendous rookie campaign. Apart from leading the team in goals (6) and being second in points (13), she ranks among the nation’s top freshmen offensively. Harmon’s six goals tie for ninth in the country among Division I freshmen and make her the ACC’s leading freshman scorer. Her goals have also been significant, tallying three game-winning scores to place her 29th in the nation and second in the ACC. Only three freshmen in the country have posted more game-winners.
ALL-TIME ARVAS
Senior forward Roosa Arvas’ offensive impact over her four years has been historic. After she eclipsed the program record for career points versus NC State, here is a snapshot of where she sits in several of the Pitt women’s soccer record book’s offensive categories:
- 1st - Career points (53)
- 1st - Career assists (19)
- T-2nd - Game-winning goals (8), leader is Ashley Habbel (9)
- 4th - Career goals (17), leader is Ashley Cuba (23)
FRESH CONTRIBUTIONS
Despite the Panthers’ seeming youth, so far it’s been the first-year players making some of the biggest offensive contributions. Of Pitt’s 72 total points to date, 35 of those have come from true freshmen (49%). Four freshmen have already found the back of net. Kaylee Rabatin’s four assists lead all freshmen and are second-most on the team.
FORT FRANCIS
Rock-solid junior goalkeeper Taylor Francis has recorded 1117:31 in net this season – the only keeper to record minutes for the Panthers. Her six shutouts on the year rank first in the ACC, while her 47 saves check in at second. Francis’ efforts have led the Panthers to a .817 team save percentage, which ranks fourth in the ACC. She currently sits third in program history with a .779 career save percentage while her nine lifetime shutouts are good for Pitt’s third all-time spot.
EYES ON THE EAGLES
Boston College enters Thursday’s game on the heels of a tough, 2-0 result at No. 1 North Carolina last Friday after collecting wins against NC State and Louisville along with a 1-1 draw against No. 22 Duke. The Eagles play well away from home, tallying a 4-2-0 record on the road. Offensively, McKenzie Meehan will look to make the biggest impact after collecting a team-leading seven goals on the year. Hayley Dowd has added five of her own to combine for 12 of their 20 scores on the year. Alexis Bryant has seven starts in goal this season and made 37 saves en route to a 1.17 goals against average.
ORANGE ON DECK
Syracuse will enter its Thursday matchup with No. 16 Notre Dame on a tough skid prior to heading to Pittsburgh. The Orange have lost four straight ACC games by a combined goals differential of 12-2 – albeit paired with three top-10 teams and Louisville over that stretch. Their offensive effort is paced by Alexis Koval, who is tied for the team lead in goals (3) and leads in assists (4) and points (10). Goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan has made 13 starts in net to amass 51 saves and a 1.49 GA avg.
THE ROAD AHEAD
The Pitt women’s soccer team enters its 20th season of competition this year. Pitt faces an 18-game schedule, including eight home games. The slate features a number of high-caliber opponents, including six 2014 NCAA Tournament teams and five among the NSCAA’s preseason top-25 rankings. Three games will be broadcast on ESPN3: 9/24 vs. Wake Forest, 10/8 vs. Boston College, and 10/22 at Duke.
UP NEXT...
Pitt will travel to face No. 7 Clemson on Friday, Oct. 16, for a 7 p.m. matchup at Riggs Field.
