The Pitt women’s soccer team, coming off its best season ever, looked to start strong and… The Pitt women’s soccer team, coming off its best season ever, looked to start strong and score big in its opening matches of the season.

The Panthers delivered in both, defeating Youngstown State and Niagara without allowing a goal in either contest.

“We had a great opening weekend with two shutouts and two wins,” Pitt head coach Sue-Moy Chin said in a release on pittsburghpanthers.com.

Sophomore Ashley Habbel emerged from the weekend as the Panthers’ leading scorer, tallying two goals and an assist.

Equally impressive was Pitt’s defense. Sophomore Alison Finch was in goal for both games, but thanks to a very proficient defensive team effort, was only called upon to make seven saves to record both shutouts.

Pitt 2, Youngstown State 0

The first Pitt goal of the year came off Habbel’s foot. She fired a shot from 18 yards out that found the back of the net 5:49 into the game. It would be the only goal of the first half, and the only score of the game that hit its intended mark.

Early in the second half, Youngstown State unintentionally handed the Panthers their second goal when a ball ricocheted off a Penguin defender for an own goal, giving Pitt a 2-0 lead.

That score would stand as the Panthers fought off early jitters to hold on and win their opener.

“We had some first-game nerves that showed early on through the first part of the first half,” Chin added in the release. “But we were able to reorganize and regroup at half. We talked about how to make things better and we did. Coming out after halftime we slowed the pace, played our game and did very well.”

Pitt’s defense did an excellent job limiting Youngstown’s scoring opportunities. The Panthers outshot Youngstown State, 12-4.

Pitt 3, Niagara 0

The Panthers followed up Friday’s game with a dominating reenactment on Sunday against the Niagara Purple Eagles.

Habbel was the offensive star again. At the 9:28 mark in the first half she beat Niagara goalie Sarah Stephens for her second goal in as many games.

She wasn’t finished helping the Panthers score.

Pitt got its second goal of the game in the 25th minute when Habbel played a through ball uncontested to senior Jen Kritch, who converted the assist into a score, burying the ball in the back of the net.

The Panthers would get a late score from freshman Liz Carroll, who finished a cross from sophomore Jenna Greenfield 74:21 into the match.

For the second game in a row Pitt’s defense was unblemished. The Panthers’ defense only allowed four shots on goal, and Finch stopped every one on her way to her second consecutive shutout – fifth of her career.

The Panthers’ teamwork pleased their coach.

“We played a very good Niagara team today. They appeared in last year’s NCAA Tournament so I’m very pleased with our team effort today,” Chin said in the release. The Panthers will travel to Georgia on Friday to face Georgia State, and will then voyage to Alabama to square off with Auburn on Sunday.