Pitt women’s soccer suffers 2-0 setback at Virginia Tech

The Pitt women’s soccer team faced Virginia Tech at Thompson Field in Blacksburg on Sunday afternoon, and despite taking an aggressive approach and unleashing an onslaught of shots, the Panthers lost 2-0.

After getting absolutely shelled by a Virginia team that reeled off 30 shots and put nine on goal on Thursday night, Pitt made some adjustments and came out on Sunday on the offensive. By halftime, the strategy had yet to pay off, but the Panthers led the Hokies in shots 10-1. Pitt also put seven of its shots on goal, while Virginia Tech’s was off the mark.

Pitt kept the pressure on Virginia Tech in the second half, coming up with nine shots, five of which were on target. However, Virginia Tech forward Karlie Johnson scored in the 76th minute after gathering a loose ball in the Pitt box, and Virginia Tech forward Tori Powell sealed the win with an 89th-minute goal.

“Really disappointed because we were the better team today,” Pitt head coach Randy Waldrum said. “Two mistakes and you lose in this league. If you don’t finish your chances, you lose in this league. We should have had a lead going into halftime. Unfortunately, all of this is a part of the process.”

The loss was Pitt’s second in a row after the team got off to a 6-0 start. And the fact that the team was shut out meant that Amanda West’s scoring streak came to an end after seven games. Of course, while she did not score, she was still a key factor in the Pitt attack, getting off three shots and putting two on goal. She also got help from Leah Pais, Anna Rico and Emily Yaple, who all had at least three shots.

Pitt will get a chance to right the ship on Thursday, when the team returns home to face Boston College. The Panthers notably beat the Eagles 2-1 last year, ending a three-year streak without an ACC victory. Coincidentally, West scored her eighth goal of the 2019 season in that matchup, and it was an overtime game-winner. This time around, she’ll be looking for her eighth goal of the 2020 campaign heading into the matchup with a 0-2 Eagles team, and that game is set to kick off from Ambrose Urbanic Field at 6 p.m. ET on Thursday.