Pitt women’s soccer team looks to extend win streak over Robert Morris

The Pitt women’s soccer team plays the Robert Morris Colonials today as it looks to continue its winning streak after back-to-back shutout victories last weekend. Pitt (3-1-0) plays at the Colonials’ (3-0-0) home field in Moon Township at 5 p.m.

Robert Morris:

Robert Morris is 3-0, which is the best start in program history. So far this season, the Colonials have defeated Bucknell (3-1), Niagara (2-1) and Northern Kentucky (1-0). 

The Colonials have had a lot of early-season contributions, as four different players tallied goals through the first three games. The Colonials have been paced so far by Seneca Valley product Madison Kozlowski, who’s currently tied for the Northeast Conference lead with three goals, and she ranks second in points with six. 

Fox Chapel product Becky Schoenecker and Chelsea de Jager have shared time in net this season. Schoenecker has started all three games, compiling a goals-against average of 1.33, while de Jager has relieved Schoenecker in all three games and has not allowed a goal. 

The two goaltenders have both played 135 minutes this season, with de Jager picking up victories in two of the three matches, and Schoenecker picking up the other. 

All-Time series:

Today’s matchup marks the ninth time that the Panthers will face the Colonials. Last season, the two rivals played for the first time since 2003. Pitt leads the all-time series 6-2 after last season’s 2-1 home victory, and it has won four out of the last five meetings. The lone victory for the Colonials over the five-game span came in 2002. 

Pitt’s season so far:

Pitt has had an extremely successful start to the 2013 campaign. The Panthers have won three out of the first four matchups this season, and they have outscored opponents 6-2. 

The Panthers, led by junior goaltender Nicole D’Agostino, have posted three shutouts through the first four games. 

The lone blemish for the Panthers this season was a 2-0 loss at Ohio State last week. Pitt’s offensive attack has been led by sophomore midfielder Roosa Arvas, who has two goals and one assist on the year. 

D’Agostino has posted a 0.67 goals-against average and has made 18 saves. 

So far Pitt’s contributions for head coach Greg Miller have come from players such as D’Agostino, who have a lot of experience, but also have not excluded the Panthers’ younger talent. This includes freshman Emily Pietrangelo, who has logged 156 minutes and registered two points, as well as defender Siobhan McDonough, who currently leads all freshmen with 263 minutes and three starts among four games played.

“The freshmen have had a huge impact in our success so far,” Miller said. “They’re learning on the fly and adapting to the game as we go along.”

In the next two contests, Miller hopes his team will continue to build and prepare for the beginning of the team’s ACC schedule. 

“Ideally, we would like to come out of these next two games with wins, but more importantly, it’s about the process,” Miller said. “We’re still not doing a lot of things well, so I would like to build and bring in some important things.”