Pitt Shuts Out App State 4-0 in Season Opener

Thursday, September 10

Boone, N.C.

4 PM

Pitt

1-0-0, 0-0-0

Appalachian State

0-1-0, 0-0-0

Pittsburgh

App State

Photo by: Matt Hawley/Pitt Athletics

Pitt Shuts Out App State 4-0 in Season Opener

9/10/2020 7:38:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

BOONE, N.C. – Pitt women's soccer shut out Appalachian State 4-0 for its biggest-ever margin of victory in a season-opener Thursday evening at Ted Mackorell Soccer Stadium. The Panthers took control of the game in the second half, scoring three goals to cruise away from the Mountaineers.

"I felt we started a bit slow today, and by the 20-minute mark we started to find our way," said Pitt head coach Randy Waldrum. "We need to improve on the slow start so we don't end up chasing games early. Having said that I was really pleased with our performance overall, and we got better as the game went on. It was good getting all our players some time in the opening game, as our young players need minutes. We scored some great goals today, and our defense did a really good job at minimizing opportunities for the opponent."

Leah Pais scored the first goal for Pitt in the 22nd minute. Pais headed in a ball in the top right corner of the net off a free kick by Kate McKay.

23' | Leah Pais' first goal as a Panther ??. @ktkmck with the assist!

Pitt 1?? | App St 0??

??: https://t.co/kKUDp2iEr2 #H2P pic.twitter.com/9QfjlNfToQ
— Pitt Women's Soccer (@Pitt_WSOC) September 10, 2020

Pais added another goal in the 58th minute. After Amanda West streaked down the left side with the ball and sent a cross into the box, Pais was stopped on her first shot but quickly tapped in the rebound.

West got into the scoring action in the 70th minute. Once again going down the left side after receiving a pass from Pais, she evaded an App State defender with a move and chipped a shot to the right of the diving goalkeeper.

71' | Fun fact, @amanda_westt has scored in both of the season-openers in her Panther career ??

Pitt 3?? | App St 0??

??: https://t.co/kKUDp2iEr2 #H2P pic.twitter.com/64vPYaa9XY
— Pitt Women's Soccer (@Pitt_WSOC) September 10, 2020

Nyla Allen got the last goal in the 78th minute, the first of her collegiate career. Sarah Sinnott headed a volley by McKay to Allen, who timed it well to sprint past the defense and put her shot into an open net before the goalkeeper collided into her.

80' | Nyla Allen streaks past the Mountaineers' defense on the header by Sarah Sinnott & chipped a shot past the goalkeeper!

Pitt 4?? | App St 0??

??: https://t.co/kKUDp2iEr2 #H2P pic.twitter.com/bTZfeSyCEr
— Pitt Women's Soccer (@Pitt_WSOC) September 10, 2020

The two teams play again Sunday at noon.

Notes

Katherine Robinson started as Pitt's goalkeeper and made one save. Caitlyn Lazzarini relieved her for the last 14 minutes of the game.
West moved into ties for eighth-place with Megan Beasley (1996-99) for career goals and with Corina Sebesta (2003-06) for 10th place in career points in program history.
West has scored in both of the season-openers in her Panther career. Last year she recorded a hat-trick and assist in a 5-4 win over Loyola Marymount (Aug. 23).
Pais recorded the second-most points (five) in a Panther's debut, behind West's 10 points last year.
Pitt is 3-0 in season-openers under Waldrum.
The Panthers had not defeated an opponent by 4+ goals since a 6-1 victory over St. John's on Oct. 9, 2011.
Pitt had a big advantage in corner kicks (9-1) and also outshot App State 13-5.
Pais and West both placed four of five shots on goal.
McKay recorded the first multi-assist game of her collegiate career.
The game was the first-ever matchup between the two programs.
NCAA soccer is officially underway as the game was first played in the entire nation.
Emily Yaple and Chloe Minas both started in the midfield for their collegiate debuts.
Hailey Davidson and Pais, both transfers, started in their first game as a Panther.
Five freshmen played in their first collegiate game: Eva Frankovic, Hannah Knych, Yaple, Minas and Allen.