Pitt
Louisville
No. 14 Women's Soccer Hosts Louisville in Saturday Night Matchup
9/30/2022 8:32:00 AM | Women's Soccer
THE MATCHUP
PITTSBURGH - The No. 14-ranked Pitt women's soccer team (10-1-0, 3-0-0 ACC) looks to continue its strong start to the 2022 season as it plays host to Louisville (4-3-2, 1-2-0 ACC) Saturday in an ACC matchup at Ambrose Urbanic Field. First touch is set for 7 p.m. The contest will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra.
BACK IN THE RANKINGS
Pitt enters Saturday's matchup against the Cardinals ranked No. 14 in the country, per the latest United Soccer Coaches Rankings. This marks the third-straight year the Panthers have appeared in the weekly poll. Pitt reached as high as No. 19 in the poll last season and No. 12 in 2020.
TOP TEN RPI RATING
The NCAA's second Rating Percentage Index (RPI) report of the 2022 season saw the Panthers climb from 18th-best RPI to seventh.
HOT START
With 10 wins in 11 attempts, Pitt is off to its best start in program history and has matched the 2015 squad for the best start to ACC play in program history at 3-0-0. With their next victory, the Panthers will match the 2020-21 and 2021 teams for the most victories in a single season in program history.
A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING
ACC play has seen Pitt record its first-ever wins over Virginia Tech (4-1) and Notre Dame (3-1). The Panthers were previously 0-7-1 against the Hokies and 0-15-1 against the Fighting Irish.
BUILDING THE PROGRAM
The Panthers are now 41-35-1 under the leadership of fifth-year head coach Randy Waldrum. After going 9-22-4 in the first two years of a massive rebuild, Pitt has gone 32-15 over the last two-plus seasons.
PILING UP POINTS
With seven games still to play in the 2022 regular season, Pitt has already set a program record for points in a single season with 114 (39 goals, 36 assists). The previous high-water mark was shared by the 2020-21 and 1998 teams with 104. The Panthers' 114 points is good for second in NCAA Division I behind Gardner-Webb's 128 while their 10.36 points per game ranks third behind Florida State (10.78) and Gardner-Webb (10.67).
OFFENSIVE ONSLAUGHT
Pitt has outscored the opposition 39-9 so far in 2022. The Panthers' 39 goals rank as the second most in a single season in program history behind the 2021 team's 41 and are good for the second-most in NCAA Division I this season behind Gardner-Webb (42). Pitt ranks second in the country in scoring offense with 3.55 goals per game and is fifth in shots on goal per game (10.27) and ninth in shots per game (20.55).
FINDING BALANCE
The Panthers have seen 13 different players find the back of the net so far this season. Leah Pais is pacing Pitt, scoring all seven of her team-leading goals in the last six games. She is tied for 20th in the country and third among ACC players in goals. Amanda West, who is out for the rest of the season following an injury in the win over Cincinnati, is tied for second on the team with Landy Mertz with six goals. Mertz has found the back of the net in each of the last three games and has compiled a team-high four game winners, which is tied for third in the country and tied for most among ACC players. Sarah Schupansky (5) and Ellie Coffield (3) round out Pitt's top five goal scorers. Fleming Dean, Emily Yaple and Katie Zailski have each cashed in twice. Anna Bout, Mackenzie Evers, Ashton Gordon, Bri Hilsenteger and Samiah Phiri have each found the back of the net once.
HOW MAY WE ASSIST?
Eleven different Panthers have distributed assists this season, with Anna Bout leading the way with six, which is tied for 12th in the country and second among ACC players. Bout's 15 career assists are good for the fifth-most in program history. Sarah Schupansky is right behind Bout with five helpers while Landy Mertz and Leah Pais are tied for third with four apiece. Ellie Coffield, Ashton Gordon, Samiah Phiri, Amanda West and Emily Yaple have each dished out three assists while Keera Melenhorst and Ashley Moon have all logged one helper. Pitt's 36 assists rank as the second-most in program history behind the 2021 squad's 47. The Panthers currently rank second in the country in total assists behind Gardner-Webb (44) and fourth in assists per game with 3.27.
SCOUTING LOUISVILLE
Pitt meets Louisville for the ninth time and looks to improve upon its 2-6-0 all-time record against the Cardinals. The Panthers have dropped the last three meetings to Louisville, most recently falling to the Cardinals, 2-0, on Sept. 15, 2018. Pitt's last win over Louisville came on Sept. 27, 2015, a 1-0 triumph.
The Cardinals have been led by head coach Karen Ferguson-Dayes for 23 years, with Louisville going 198-178-41. Louisville was picked to finish 11th in the ACC Preseason Coaches Poll.
Louisville is off to a 1-2-0 start to ACC play, dropping two straight on the road to Florida State (5-1) and Virginia (2-0) after opening its conference schedule with a 1-0 home win over Miami.
The Cardinals have a minus-1 goal differential, allowing 11 goals while scoring 10. Maisie Whitsett leads Louisville with four goals, three assists and 11 points. Erynn Floyd has played in a season-high seven games in goal with 597 minutes played, making nine saves while surrendering six goals.
UP NEXT
Pitt begins a stretch of three-straight road games, beginning with a visit to Chapel Hill, N.C. to clash with North Carolina next Thursday. The matchup is set for a 7 p.m. first touch and will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra.
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