Panthers Battle in 3-2 Loss at No. 13 Notre Dame

Thursday, October 31

South Bend, IN

7 PM

Pitt

9-6-3, 3-5-2

#13 Notre Dame

11-2-4, 5-1-4

Pittsburgh

Notre Dame

Photo by: CARY QIAN

Panthers Battle in 3-2 Loss at No. 13 Notre Dame

10/31/2024 9:20:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score Box Score

SOUTH BEND, IN – Pitt battled back from an early 2-0 deficit as seniors Sarah Schupansky and Ellie Coffield tallied goals but it wasn't enough to hold off No. 13 Notre Dame Thursday evening at Alumni Stadium.

The Panthers conclude the regular season 9-6-3 overall and 3-5-2 in the ACC, while Notre Dame improves to 11-2-4 and 5-1-4 in conference play.

Pitt outshot the hosts, 12-11, but could not overcome an early own goal and a brace by Izzy Engle.

OPENING HALF ACTION

Pitt had an early opportunity in the 6^th minute of action as Ellie Coffield flipped a pass into the box forcing the Notre Dame keeper to charge forward to beat Sarah Schupansky to the ball.
Schupansky added a left-footed strike from the top of the box less than two minutes later but the attempt went high of frame.
Notre Dame was awarded a free kick in a dangerous spot 10 minutes into play with Ellie Breech smothering the pass into the box. Breech also came off her line to take away a thru ball
Pitt continued to control the run of play, but Notre Dame used a strong counter attack to create a corner opportunity in the 18^th minute. Breech punched out the first attempt, but the hosts got a fortunate break as a collision at the near post resulted in an own goal by the Panthers.
Notre Dame added to the lead in the 21^st minute as Engle slipped behind the Pitt defense to receive a pass from Grace Restovich and slotted home her 14th goal of the season.
Schupansky cut the deficit in half with an absolute bullet from 35-yards for her seventh goal of the season in the 26^th minute. She collected the ball near the left sideline and beat a pair of defenders back towards the middle of the field before burying a right-footed strike into the upper left corner of the net.
Pitt continued to have the better run of play and possession over the remainder of the half but could not connect on several crosses into the box.
Grace Pettet had a strong strike from outside the box with just under five minutes left in the half, but Sonoma Kasica made a comfortable save near the left post.
The Panthers had a 5-2 shot advantage over the opening 45 minutes of play.

SECOND HALF ACTION

Samiah Phiri earned a penalty kick 56 seconds into the second half to set up an equalizer from Ellie Coffield. The Mars, Pa., native calmly slipped the penalty kick into the left side of the net as Kasica dove right. Coffield found the back of the net for the third time this season and 16^th time in her career.
Katie Zailski delivered a strong defensive play to stop a charging Notre Dame attack in the 49^th minute.
Engle put Notre Dame ahead a short time later with another counter off the Pitt attack. The Fighting Irish leading scorer beat a Pitt defender to a long ball and banged home the shot off Breech's right hand.
With just under 38 minutes remaining Schupansky sent a free kick from the left wing far post, but Coffield's header went just wide of frame.
Zailski added another strong defensive stop to thwart another Notre Dame counter attack with 33 minutes left to play.
Breech added a save on a 1v1 opportunity by Engle off another Notre Dame counter attack in the 61^st minute to keep the Panthers within striking distance.
Phiri made a nice play to gain possession in a crowd of Notre Dame defenders off a cross into the box and set Coffield for a strike that went just high with 17 minutes remaining.
Pettet made a tremendous play to clear an Engle shot off the goal line with 12 minutes remaining to keep the score at 3-2.
Sarah Dohney had a strike in the box with just over five minutes remaining that was blocked by a Notre Dame defender's elbow before pushed out of danger by the Irish.
Pitt stayed on the attack and earned a corner with 90 second remaining but the Panthers were whistled for a foul on the attempt and Notre Dame was able to gain possession and salt away the match.

PITT VERSUS RANKED OPPONENTS

The Panthers are 5-10-2 in their past 17 matches against ranked opponents. Pitt is 0-4-2 this season against teams ranked in the top 25 of the United Soccer Coaches Poll. Six of Pitt's nine all-time wins against ranked opponents have come under head coach Randy Waldrum.

SCHUPANSKY SETS STARTS RECORD

Senior midfielder Sarah Schupansky set a program record with her 78^th career start in the match at Notre Dame. She has started 78 of 82 games for the Panthers with her 82 games played ranked as second most in Pitt history.

ALONE AT THE TOP??

With her 78th start tonight, @sarahschupansky is now the program leader in career starts. ??#H2P pic.twitter.com/IgZOJFA9Ac
— Pitt Women's Soccer (@Pitt_WSOC) October 31, 2024

UP NEXT

With just six teams making the ACC Championship, Pitt is among several strong ACC teams that will wait to find out its postseason fate during the NCAA Selection Show on Monday, Nov. 11. The Panthers rank in the top 35 of NCAA RPI with six matches, including each of the past three, against nationally ranked opponents.