Pitt men’s soccer subdued by Robert Morris, 2-0

The Pitt men’s soccer team travelled to Moon, Pennsylvania, in search of a win after losing its first conference game lost to Louisville but instead fell in a 2-0 shutout to Robert Morris.

The Panthers (1-3-1) took the upper hand in the beginning of the match by keeping the ball near the Colonials’ goal, but Robert Morris (2-3-0) used some of Pitt’s defensive blunders to put away two goals by the game’s end.

Pitt’s defense jumped on the ball when it immediately threatened the goal box but had difficulty closing holes on the field that opened up occasions for the Colonials to strike from a distance.

Robert Morris took the initial possession driving the ball into Pitt territory, but the Panthers’ defense quickly cleared the ball to the other side of the field.

Both teams seemed to spend a few minutes dancing along the midfield line, but the Panthers soon recovered the ball as the Colonial offense seemed unusually apprehensive.

Junior forward Roosevelt Angulo took charge for Pitt and created multiple scoring opportunities but couldn’t finish.

In the 10th minute, Angulo attempted Pitt’s first shot on goal after streaking down left field past a defender, but Robert Morris goalie Winter Fondi was prepared for the ball and made the swift save.

Angulo continued to challenge the Colonials’ goalie, almost putting away a header from a free kick in the 13th minute, then striking the ball wide left in the 14th minute, which Fondi barely got a touch on

Shortly after, first-year forward Josh Coan received the first corner kick for Pitt, but the ball didn’t stay in the box for long before Robert Morris cleared it out.

The Colonials seemed to be struggling but started to gain momentum after a few substitutions in the 20th minute. Then, they pushed on offense.

After a pair of corner kicks foiled by Pitt’s defense, Robert Morris midfielder Jake Cooper saw an opening in the 35th minute to strike the ball from 18 feet out right past Pitt’s defenders and redshirt freshman goalkeeper Mikal Outcalt.

The ball soared into in the right side of the net for the first goal of the game.

Coan tried to get Pitt on the scoreboard after two corner kicks, but the half concluded with the Colonials taking the lead, 1-0.

With the second half return, both teams did not hold back on offense. The ball hit almost every corner of the field before sophomore forward Zac Sherman chipped the ball right over Outcalt’s head and into the goal during the 55th minute.

After Robert Morris took the 2-0 lead, the Panthers struggled to keep the ball out of the Colonials’ grasp. The game continued with several pinball-effect plays near both goal boxes, but none of the plays converted to points on the scoreboard.

Pitt outshot Robert Morris, 12-9, and took five shots on goal to the Colonials’ four with Outcalt making four crucial saves. But the Panthers couldn’t find a goal, and Robert Morris took the decided shutout win in the 33rd matchup between the teams.

The Panthers will travel to Chapel Hill to play No. 3 North Carolina in their second conference game of the season on Friday, Sept. 16, at 7:30 p.m.