Pitt Opens Spring Season With 3-0 Shutout in City Game (original) (raw)
PITTSBURGH – Newcomer Landy Mertz scored two goals in her Panthers' debut and Pitt women's soccer (10-5-0) began its spring portion of the 2020-21 season with a 3-0 shutout of Duquesne (0-1-0) in the City Game Sunday afternoon at Ambrose Urbanic Field. The Panthers tied the 1995 team (10-7-1) for the most wins in a single season and also guaranteed this year's team to have the highest winning-percentage in program history.
Dominating ball possession to begin the game but unable to generate many scoring chances, Pitt broke through with its fifth corner kick late in the first half. Athalie Palomo scored on her shot from the right corner in the 38th minute for her first goal of the season.
— Pitt Women's Soccer (@Pitt_WSOC) March 7, 2021
The field became even more tilted in the second half as the Panthers put the game out of reach for the Dukes. Mertz got her first goal in the 61st minute. Chloe Minas launched a ball from midfield over the defense to a streaking Mertz, who pushed the ball at the top of the box past the goalkeeper and easily touched the ball into an open net.
— Pitt Women's Soccer (@Pitt_WSOC) March 7, 2021
Mertz's second goal came in the 80th minute. A few yards above the middle of the box, Emily Yaple feed Mertz to the right, who put lofted a shot over the goalkeeper into the top left corner of the net.
— Pitt Women's Soccer (@Pitt_WSOC) March 7, 2021
With March 21's game at Marshall cancelled, Pitt is actively trying to schedule an opponent for its last game of the year.
NEWS AND NOTES
- Pitt improved to 11-4 in the City Game, and third-year Pitt head coach Randy Waldrum has led the Panthers to shutout victories in both matchups in his tenure (2-0 on Sept. 6, 2018).
- Caitlyn Lazzarini (3-3-0) made two saves.
- Pitt had the advantage in corner kicks (7-1), shots on goal (8-2) and shots (14-9).
- Mertz and Amanda West both had a game-high four shots, and Mertz put all four on goal.