Pitt drops pair of Big East contests

The Pitt women’s soccer team dropped a pair of Big East games over the weekend, putting the… The Pitt women’s soccer team dropped a pair of Big East games over the weekend, putting the Panthers at 6-9-1 overall and 2-6-1 in conference play.

Despite the losses, head coach Sue-Moy Chin believes that her team’s strong defensive effort is something to build on.

“We’re taking baby steps right now,” she said. “And we can start building off of our defensive effort, and the attack will come.”

UConn 1, Pitt 0

Looking to upend last year’s national runner-up, Pitt played the Huskies to a scoreless first-half tie, until eventually falling 1-0 to UConn Friday night in Storrs, Conn.

Junior goalkeeper Jamie Pelusi made 10 saves in a loss in which the Panthers were outshot 16-2, registering only one shot per half and one real scoring opportunity in the game.

“Connecticut is a very good, strong team,” Chin said. “They have a couple of great forwards in Jessica Gjertsen and Kristen Graczyk, but our defense and Jamie [Pelusi] both played great.”

Graczyk notched the game’s lone score 11 minutes into the second half on one of her six shots. Gjertsen added three shots of her own for the UConn attack. The goal was unassisted and gave the Huskies (13-5, 9-2 Big East) all of the offense they would need.

Junior forward Lisa Schulte provided the sole scoring opportunity for the Panthers, getting a semi-breakaway that would result in a shot just wide of the goal.

“That would have changed the game quite a bit early on,” Chin said.

But Chin still feels that the close match is a testament to how far the program and her players have come in the past years, given UConn’s recent success and the Panthers’ woes in Big East play.

“We’re doing some right things, especially in the defense,” she said. “We are just having a bit of trouble in our transition from defense to forward, and getting our attack going.”

Villanova 3, Pitt 1

A few questionable calls, including a red card issued to Panther sweeper Katie Surma for allegedly spitting at a Villanova player, added fire to an intense match, which the Panthers dropped, 3-1, to Villanova Sunday afternoon at Founders Field.

The loss all but eliminates the Panthers from their season goal of making the Big East Tournament.

“It was one of the most physical and emotional games we have played all season,” senior captain Aimee Romasco said after the game. The loss spoiled Senior Recognition Day for Romasco and fellow seniors Cara Senger, Antoinette Koram and Jacqueline Reuter.

With the Wildcats (11-5-1, 5-4-1) holding a 2-0 lead with 15 minutes remaining, Surma was ejected for the alleged spitting incident. Several players, including Romasco, confirmed that she was simply spitting at the ground. Since Surma was issued a red card, she will have to sit out the next game.

Pitt was forced to continue with one less player than the Wildcats, but ironically, the Panthers elevated their offensive play and came on with a late surge to nearly tie the game.

“I think our girls were definitely motivated by the questionable call to send our player off,” Chin said. “You have to give them credit because they kept fighting. They could have easily just shut down after going a man down and being down 2-0, but they worked hard and tried to push to get the equalizer.”

Not even three minutes after the ejection, Romasco stole a pass and sprinted down the right sideline, ultimately earning a corner kick for the Panthers. Sophomore Kristina Francois took the kick, which found its way to the head of fellow sophomore Corina Sebesta. The midfielder placed a perfect header past the keeper and into the right side of the net, cutting the Wildcat lead to 2-1.

“I think we kind of had enough of being pushed around,” Romasco said.

“Our aggressiveness helped us out and we started to make good runs [after the ejection] to get back into it,” Schulte added.

The Wildcats added an insurance goal with six minutes remaining, however, as nearly every Panther was pushed upfield to try to get the tying score. The shot was hit hard to goalkeeper Jamie Pelusi’s left, and despite her being able to get a hand on the shot, the ball trickled into the back of the net. She registered eight saves in the loss, bringing her career total to 326 — a new school record.

Pitt has one last game tonight at home against Georgetown, who upset West Virginia Sunday. But the Panthers know that the season isn’t over, even if their dreams of making the Big East Tournament are dwindling.

“We just have to keep our heads up and move the ball around,” Schulte said.

“We want to continue the intensity from today, but start it earlier, and then work on the attack,” Chin added. “We’ll have to make some adjustments in the back after losing Katie, but if we just continue working on our effort, then it will come for us.”