Women’s soccer shut out in two games

WASHINGTON – With high expectations and a determined spirit, the Panther women’s soccer… WASHINGTON – With high expectations and a determined spirit, the Panther women’s soccer team took the field this weekend with thoughts of ending its five game losing streak. However, Pitt was handed two defeats at the hands of the Georgetown Hoyas and the Virginia Tech Hokies. The losses drop the Panthers’ season record to 3-8 overall and 0-5 in Big East play.

Georgetown 6, Pitt 0

On a windy Friday afternoon in Washington, D.C., the Panthers never really got going against the Hoyas, who struck first very early in the match. In the 16th minute of play, Nicole DePalma chipped a pass forward to teammate Karin Ostrander. Ostrander then crossed the ball to a wide-open Casey McCann, who pounded the ball into the back of the net past a diving Jamie Pelusi. DePalma and Ostrander were both credited with the assist.

It was going to be that kind of day for Pelusi, who faced an almost constant barrage of shots from several odd man rushes from the Hoyas.

Georgetown, already up 1-0, found the net again in the 30th minute of play when Ostrander found a seam in the Panthers’ defense. Ostrander dribbled the ball past two Panther defenders before firing her shot past Pelusi, making the score 2-0.

Georgetown’s offense wasn’t finished, when with eight minutes left before the break, Shara McNeil ran past the Panther defense to find an open Kyle Holsinger-Johnson. Holsinger-Johnson took the feed and blasted it opposite corner, raising the score to 3-0.

The second half went much like the first to the dismay of the Panthers. Early in the second half the Hoyas got on the board yet again when DePalma found Jen Choiniere on a crossing pass that she controlled and placed past Pelusi. Five minutes later, Holsinger-Johnson wove her way through the Panthers’ defense and drove her second goal of the contest home.

With the score now 5-0 in favor of Georgetown, Pelusi was replaced with another freshman goalkeeper, Lailah Issac. Pelusi ended her day with seven saves.

Issac faced much of the same style of play as Pelusi. Georgetown’s constant pressure and possession of the ball led to another Hoya goal late in the game. Lauren Eyler drove in on Issac and blasted a shot past her to end the Georgetown goalfest at 6-0.

Head coach Roland Sturk was not pleased with how his team performed in what was a must-win game for the team.

“Our team just didn’t show up to play today,” Sturk said. “It’s kind of surprising that with what was at stake that we didn’t play better than what we did.”

The news for the Panthers got worse following the game, when the team learned that starting senior midfielder Kim Sturk was lost for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

Virginia Tech 2, Pitt 0

The Panthers returned home for a Sunday afternoon game and came out playing with more intensity. Pitt had several early scoring chances coupled with three corner kicks, but was unable to capitalize despite outshooting the Hokies 9-5.

After a scoreless half of soccer, Pitt found itself on the defensive with several early Virginia Tech drives on net. Pelusi and the Panthers’ defense were able to halt the Hokies’ advances, but that soon changed. In the 60th minute of play, Amy Rappaport blasted a shot on net that Pelusi was able to deny. However, Emily Barnhart was right there to put the rebound away for a 1-0 Virginia Tech lead.

Pitt responded with some scoring chances of its own, but like in the first half, the team was unable to capitalize and put one away while the Hokies’ defense was caught drifting upfield.

Virginia Tech’s offense wasn’t finished. In the 83rd minute of the contest, Barnhart booted a perfect pass to Sarah Kammerer who put the ball away in the lower left corner of the net, finishing the scoring.

Coach Sturk had mixed emotions about the loss.

” We compete okay, but we really need someone to step up and lead our team,” he said. “We’re frustrated as team because we have played teams close, but just can’t seem to push through.”

The Panthers will travel to South Bend, Ind., on Friday to take on the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame.