Pitt women’s soccer team adds Kentucky to schedule

The Pitt women’s soccer team was facing uncertainty after its 3-0 win over Duquesne in its spring debut, as its matchup with Marshall was canceled. However, that hole in the schedule was filled on Tuesday, as Pitt and Kentucky agreed to meet at Ambrose Urbanic Field on March 29. That matchup will serve as the regular-season finale for the Panthers.

The matchup with Marshall, which was set to be played on March 21, was canceled as a result of a shift in the Thundering Herd’s Conference USA schedule that saw a game moved to March 22. As a result, the game was scratched from the Panthers' schedule on March 5. And at that time, it was noted that Pitt was seeking a replacement opponent.

Pitt currently sits at 10-5 on the season, and the newly scheduled Kentucky game will provide the team with an opportunity to post the highest win total in program history. However, no matter the outcome, the contest will serve as a first for Pitt, as the two teams have never met on the pitch before. As for Kentucky, it holds a 1-5-3 record, but the team gained valuable experience in the fall.

Kentucky’s record was compiled against SEC opponents, and the team is familiar with high-level opposition. Of the nine games Kentucky played in the fall, three were against ranked opponents, and five were against opponents receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches poll. In addition, three of Kentucky’s five losses were by one goal, and its win came against Florida, which now sits at 4-8-2. However, the Wildcats are 0-3-1 on the road.

The game will provide Pitt with a late opportunity to state its case for entry into the NCAA tournament, the field of which has been reduced from 64 teams to 48 this season. And at the least, it will serve as a showcase for the team’s talent, which includes the nation’s top goal scorer in Amanda West, who has 13 goals, and a rising star in Landy Mertz, who scored two goals in her Pitt debut on March 7.

Pitt and Kentucky are set to square off in Pittsburgh on March 29. The game will kick off at 2 p.m. ET. The matchup is the only spring game on Kentucky’s schedule, and Pitt is not expected to schedule additional games prior to the end of the regular season on April 17.