Women’s Soccer: Pitt loses two in North Carolina

The Panthers didn’t have any trouble getting shots to the net Sunday, but actually putting… The Panthers didn’t have any trouble getting shots to the net Sunday, but actually putting them in the net was a struggle.

The Pitt women’s soccer team came home from North Carolina winless, dropping its second consecutive game 2-1 to Charlotte despite out-shooting the 49ers 20-12. The Panthers lost to N.C. State 4-0 on Friday.

Charlotte (3-1) scored the first two goals of the game late in the first half. Danielle Mayeaux headed in a Jonna Handra corner kick in the 37th minute to start the scoring.

Handra added to the Charlotte lead five minutes later, firing a goal into the top left corner of the net from 30 yards out.

Pitt head coach Sue-Moy Chin said mental lapses from the Panthers led to the Charlotte goals in the first half.

The Panthers (2-4) got on the board early in the second half, when Lyndsay Pierson scored her first goal of the season and the second of her career after rebounding her own shot.

“Lyndsay played really well,” Chin said. “And she was strong on Friday. She had a great weekend.”

Despite the loss, Chin said she was pleased with the effort, saying that Pitt’s quality of play, intensity and challenging of balls all improved.

“It’s probably the best we’ve played from opening whistle to closing whistle,” she said. “Unfortunately we didn’t get the results.”

Handra had a scoring opportunity with nine minutes remaining in the first half, but Pitt goalkeeper Morie Kephart made a diving stop. Kephart had a season high of five saves and allowed two goals for the game, while Charlotte’s Natalie Lavigne had six saves.

Pitt had opportunities to score, with 10 shots in each half, but was unable to capitalize. Chin said the Panthers will focus on improving passes, adding that it “was a little bit of the missing piece” against the 49ers.

“We created opportunities, but our service of the ball was poor, it was lacking,” Chin said. “As a result, they were able to clear balls because they were falling short.”

Ashley Cuba took six shots with three shots on goal. All three shots on goal came within five minutes of each other in the first half, but Lavigne made the stops and prohibited the Panthers from gaining the early lead.

Katelyn Ruhe got off four shots, including two shots on goal in the 16th and 82nd minutes.

Chin said the backline and the midfield all played well.

“They were quite good from front to back,” she said. “They did a good job challenging balls and confronting their players, not allowing easy passes.”

The Panthers will return to action Friday afternoon when they host Akron at Founders Field.