Women's Soccer Set to Open Big East Play
9/14/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Sept. 14, 2011
PITTSBURGH --The University of Pittsburgh women's soccer team will open Big East play with a pair of matches this weekend. The Panthers will play at eighth-ranked Marquette on Thursday and will host USF at Ambrose Urbanic Field on Sunday.
Marquette is ranked eighth in the latest NSCAA Coaches Poll. It is the highest ranking in the program's history. The Golden Eagles went undefeated in conference play in 2010. They are off to a good start again this year with a 7-1-0 record in non-conference action, including five shutouts.
Pitt is 0-5-1 all-time against Marquette, including a 2-1 defeat last season.
USF enters Sunday's match with a record of 4-2-1. The Panthers lost to the Bulls for the first time last season, dropping their all-time mark against them to 1-1-4. The four ties are the most for Pitt against any opponent.
The Panthers lost their final two non-conference matches of the season last week, falling 2-0 at Central Michigan on Sept. 9 and 3-0 at Oakland on Sept. 11.
The two defeats drop Pitt's record to 1-5-2. The lone win was a 1-0 shutout over Delaware on Aug. 28. The Panthers' last seven wins have come by a shutout. The last time they won while allowing a goal was a 4-1 victory over Buffalo on Aug. 20, 2010.
Pitt closed out the 2010 regular season with three straight wins in the Big East, recording shutouts against Villanova, Providence and Connecticut.