Women's Soccer Takes On Montana in Rumble in the Rockies Finale

THE MATCHUP
The Pitt women's soccer team (1-0-0) looks to close out the first week of the 2022 with its second victory in as many tries as it takes on host Montana (0-0-1) in the final matchup of the Rumble in the Rockies. Action gets underway at 6 p.m. (ET) at South Campus Stadium in Missoula, Mont. The contest will be streamed live on ESPN+.

PANTHERS BLANK ZAGS IN SEASON OPENER
Amanda West delivered a second-half goal and Caitlyn Lazzarini made a career-high 10 saves as Pitt shut out Gonzaga, 1-0, Thursday at South Campus Stadium in the opening game of the Rumble in the Rockies.

Pitt's all-time leader in points and goals, West found the back of the net for the 34th time in her career in the 57th minute, scoring on a rebound off a shot by Landy Mertz.

The goal proved to be all the offense Pitt needed thanks to the efforts of Lazzarini. She kept the contest scoreless heading into the halftime break courtesy of six saves in the opening 45 minutes of play. She made two more key stops in the final 17 minutes of play to preserve the one-goal advantage for the Panthers.

The Panthers prevailed despite Gonzaga holding the edge in shots (17-16) and shots on goal (10-5). Pitt had a 6-5 advantage in corner opportunities. West and Sarah Schupansky tied for the team lead in shots with four apiece, with West leading the squad with three on goal. Mertz, Ellie Coffield, Anna Bout and Ashton Gordon each accounted for two shots apiece.

ANOTHER WIN ON OPENING DAY
The Panthers improved to 17-7-3 record in season openers dating back to the program's inaugural season in 1996. Pitt has now won its last six season openers dating back to 2017.

Pitt is a perfect 5-0 in season openers under the direction of fifth-year head coach Randy Waldrum.

MAKING THEIR DEBUTS
A trio of Panthers made their Pitt debuts in the win over Gonzaga. Freshmen Fleming Dean and Katie Zailski made their collegiate debuts while sophomore transfer Samiah Phiri saw action in the Blue & Gold for the first time after transferring from Oklahoma State.

STARTING OUT HOT
The Panthers have come storming out of the gate each of the last two seasons. Pitt won its first six games of the season in 2020, then rattled off five straight wins to begin the '21 regular season. The Panthers have not lost a game in the month of August since a 2-1 setback at Dartmouth on Aug. 30, 2019.

WEST THE BEST TO WEAR BLUE & GOLD
Forward Amanda West enters her senior season as the undisputed most decorated player in the history of Pitt women's soccer.

West leads the program in multiple career statistical categories: points (84), points per game (1.83), goals (34), goals per game (0.74), overtime goals (four), penalty kick goals (10), game-winning goals (14) and career three-plus point games (13). She is the leading active goal scorer among ACC players with 34 career goals. She has been named to the United Soccer Coaches' All-Atlantic Region Second Team (2020-21) and Third Team (2019 and '21), becoming the second Panther ever to receive all-region honors, and has been selected to the All-ACC Second Team (2020) and Third Team (2019 and '21), becoming the first player in program history to receive All-ACC honors by being named to the third and all-freshman teams in her 2019 rookie season.

Despite battling injuries a season ago, West ranked 17th in the nation in game-winning goals (5) and 63rd in goals (10) and ranked third in the ACC in game-winning goals, fourth in shots per game (3.30), tied for eighth in goals (10) and tied for 10th in points (23).

SCOUTING MONTANA
Pitt and Montana are set to meet on the pitch for the first time on Sunday. Sunday's match will be Montana's first time hosting a Power 5 opponent since playing to a 0-0 draw with Washington State at South Campus Stadium in 2017.

Montana begun the season Thursday by playing to a scoreless draw with Creighton.

Led by fifth-year head coach Chris Citowicki, the Grizzlies are coming off a 2021 campaign in which they made it to their third NCAA tournament in four seasons. Montana went 13-6-1 overall, its most wins in a season since 2000.

Of the Grizzlies' four first-team All-Big Sky selections last season, goalkeeper Camellia Xu is the lone returner. She was six times named the Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week and was voted both the Big Sky Goalkeeper of the Year and the Big Sky Tournament MVP. Xu set a program record with 11 shutouts.

UP NEXT
Pitt plays host to UMass in its home opener on Thursday (August 25) at Ambrose Urbanic Field. First touch is scheduled for 5 p.m. The match will be broadcast live on ACC Network Extra.

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