Pitt
1-6-1, 0-0-0
Kent State
3-1-0, 0-0-0
Panthers Drop Double Overtime Heartbreaker to Kent State
9/11/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Box Score
PITTSBURGH -- A goal in the 102nd minute lifted the Golden Flashes of Kent State to a double overtime victory over the University of Pittsburgh women's soccer team Sunday night, falling 2-1 at Ambrose Urbanic Field.
After the game was knotted up in the 54th minute, the two teams remained tied until the opening minutes of the second overtime, when Kent State was able to score off of a turnover and ensuing scramble in front of the net.
"Kent State hasn't played in two weeks so I credit them," said head coach Greg Miller. "[Kent State] played hard and we expected them to do just that. What a quick turnaround for us being that we just traveled to Kansas. We have to be better, at the end of day we are too much like an accordion. We open ourselves up to monumental mistakes and then we close it in and things are good. There are too many open and close situations and we have to shut it down."
Neither team was able to score in the first half, as a defensive battle was the tone of the evening. Kent State would score first in the 51st minute when Jenna Hellstrom connected on a penalty kick.
Pitt tied things up just two minutes later as Niki Hopkins scored her first of the season. Kaylee Rabatin kicked the ball in from the far side of the field following a Kent State foul, as Hopkins would smack the ball in behind the goalkeeper to knot it up at 1-1.
Panther senior goalkeeper Taylor Francis set the pace for the remainder of the contest, coming up with a multitude of clutch saves to keep Pitt in it.
In the opening minutes of the second overtime, however, Kent State would get a shot on goal, as Francis came up with the save but was unable to secure the rebound and Karli Paracca put the ball past a scrambling Francis to lift the Golden Flashes to victory.
With the loss, Pit falls to 1-6-1 on the season, closing out non-conference play before opening up ACC action.
"It's going to be a meat grinder as it always is," added Miller. "Every opponent brings something different. As I told the team at halftime, if this is how we are going to play especially on Sunday games during ACC play it is going to be a long season. We have to do a better job of being sharper mentally and physically."
The Panthers will face off against Louisville at home to begin their ACC stretch, welcoming the Cardinals to the Petersen Sports Complex for a televised broadcast on Saturday, Sept. 17.
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Team Stats
HELLSTROM, Jenna (4)
penalty kick
50:24
Niki Hopkins (1)
Assisted By: Kaylee Rabatin
set piece following foul
53:21
PARACCA, Karli (1)
Assisted By: HELLSTROM, Jenna
turnover off rebound from goalie in fron
101:45
