Francis, Blewitt Named First National Bank Athletes of the Week
10/11/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
PITTSBURGH – University of Pittsburgh student-athletes Taylor Francis and Chris Blewitt were named First National Bank Athletes of the Week, announced Tuesday.
Francis helped lead the Pitt women’s soccer team to its first ACC victory of the season, as the Panthers (2-11-1, 1-5-0 ACC) shut out Miami at home on Sunday afternoon. Francis made 12 saves as the Panthers competed to a 1-0 double-overtime win over the Hurricanes. With four saves in the first period, seven in the second and one in the first overtime, Francis and the Panthers snapped a nine-game losing streak. One of the most prolific goalies in Pitt history, Francis now has 316 career saves, second most in program history. She has started 56 career games, tied for second most in Pitt history, and has recorded 11 career shutouts, which ranks third all-time. In addition, she has recorded 5181 career minutes, checking in at No. 3 all time.
Blewitt was perfect on seven placements in Pitt football’s (4-2, 1-1 ACC) 37-34 win over Georgia Tech Saturday afternoon and provided the winning points on a 31-yard field goal as time expired. He was named the ACC’s Specialist of the Week Monday afternoon. Against the Yellow Jackets, he accounted for a career-high 13 points, converting 3-of-3 field goals (34, 41 and 31) and 4-of-4 PATs. It was the second consecutive year Blewitt was responsible for the winning margin over Georgia Tech. In 2015, he kicked a school-record 56-yard field goal to lift the Panthers to a 31-28 victory in Atlanta. With his three field goals, Blewitt became the Panthers’ all-time career leader with 52, eclipsing the prior school record of 50 field goals set by Conor Lee (2006-08). Blewitt is already Pitt’s all-time kick scoring leader with 315 points.
Francis and the Pitt women’s soccer team will return to action on Sunday, traveling to Syracuse, N.Y., for a 1 p.m. ET tilt with the Orange. Pitt will close out home action on Thursday, Oct. 20 and Sunday, Oct. 23 hosting North Carolina and Duke, respectively. Joining her fellow seniors against Duke, Francis will celebrate Senior Day prior to the 1 p.m. ET meeting with the Blue Devils.
The Panther football team is on the road this week at Coastal Division foe Virginia. The game will be televised by the ACC Network (WTAE-TV, Channel 4 in Pittsburgh) and kick off at 12:30 p.m. ET.
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