Pitt women’s soccer team shuts out Boston College 3-0

The Pitt women’s soccer team took on Boston College at Ambrose Urbanic Field on Thursday night, and despite some bad weather that prompted two delays, the Panthers managed to send the Eagles home with a 3-0 loss.

The game got underway at 6:38 p.m. after a thunderstorm pushed back kickoff by just over half an hour. And although Pitt came out as the clearly stronger offensive force and recorded 13 shots to Boston College’s three, neither team managed to find the back of the net by the halftime break.

That would change 15 minutes into the second half, though, as Pitt forward Amanda West, back from a four-game absence, made her presence known with a goal on a penalty kick in the 60th minute. Fourteen minutes later, Pitt midfielder Landy Mertz would set West up for an additional goal, sending a cross into the box that West would put away with a sliding shot to make it 2-0, Panthers.

The Panthers would punctuate the win with a third goal, this one coming from Pitt midfielder Emily Yaple, and it would be one to remember. The scoring chance began with a corner kick that Pitt midfielder Chloe Minas collected and sent into the box. The ball then found Yaple, who threw down a bicycle kick and put the ball just beyond the reach of Boston College goalkeeper Wiebke Willebrandt to put the finishing touches on a 3-0 victory for Pitt.

“Overall, pleased with the result tonight but extremely happy with the performance and our ability to respond to the staff’s message before the game, at halftime, and the response coming out of the delay,” Pitt associate head coach Ben Waldrum said after the game. “Our midfield was excellent tonight, and the play from our forwards showcased their ability to create chances and be dangerous in front of goal. We will enjoy the result but turn the focus to our upcoming opponent on Sunday.”

That upcoming opponent will be a 13-3 Wake Forest team coming off a 1-0 win over NC State. And in that matchup, Pitt, which now sits at 10-6 after Thursday’s win, will look to improve its conference record to 4-5 and give itself a chance to finish the season at .500 in ACC play. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m., and the game — the second in a three-game homestand for the Panthers — will be played at Ambrose Urbanic Field.