Cross country meet, tennis tournament highlight weekend action

The majority of Pitt teams will hit the road this weekend to continue their fall schedule. In Pittsburgh, the women’s volleyball team hosts the Pitt Panther Invitational. 

Cross country, St. Vincent’s Invitational

The women’s cross country team will take a short drive to Latrobe, Pa., to compete in the St. Vincent’s Invitational on Saturday. After a third-place finish at the Penn State Spiked Shoe Invitational, the men’s team has a break this weekend. Despite this bye week, members of the men’s team are still supporting their female counterparts.

Freshman standout Wes Roberts, who had two top-20 finishes this season, gave some advice to the women running this weekend: “Make the most of it, and make it worth it.” 

At the team’s season opener, the Duquesne Duals, the women’s squad went 2-1. The following weekend, the women — like the men  — placed third at the Penn State Spiked Shoe Invitational. 

Both races featured top finishes by freshman Dee Dee Adams, sophomore Hillary Boxheimer and junior Morgan Perry. Adams made a top-20 finish in both races, with times of 19:28 and 22:12

Women’s tennis, Navy Tournament

Pitt women’s tennis travels to Annapolis, Md., Friday to compete in the Bill and Sandra Moore Invitational. The tournament is hosted by Navy, and several other teams — including James Madison and George Mason — will be in attendance. This will be the team’s second appearance at the three-day tournament. 

Last year, two titles were awarded to Panthers: senior duo Jocelyn Lu and Taylor Washington won the doubles bracket while junior Amanda Wickman claimed the singles title. The tournament will be the first match for many players since the spring season. 

“I think that we should perform well. [We’ve] improved so much since last year, and we’re ready to go out there and compete,” senior Kimmy Borza said. 

Borza, a singles player, was number three on the team and recorded a team-best record of 14-7 for doubles play. 

Being the first tournament of their season, it will serve as a good predictor of where the Panthers stand in comparison to their new ACC rivals, whom they will face in the spring. 

Women’s softball against St. Francis

Pitt softball plays its first home game of the fall season Saturday against St. Francis.

Last weekend, the team traveled to Youngstown State to play the host school’s invitational and to kick off its fall schedule. The team recorded one tie and one loss in the invitational.

“We definitely got all of our first-game jitters out,” junior pitcher Savannah King said.

The St. Francis squad went 25-30 last season, with catcher Chelsy Cosentino as the team’s leading force. The junior topped the team in batting averages (.354) and hits (64). 

Another leading force for the Red Flash is sophomore outfielder Maggie Creciun, who leads the team in fielding percentage (.958). 

The Pitt team produced similar stats from junior infielder Taylor Henry, whose fielding percentage is .981, and sophomore outfielder Tori Nirschl, who racked up 52 hits last season. 

“I am very excited to be on our home field,” King said. “I love our field, and it always adds that extra incentive to win on your home turf.”