Sunday, October 14
Charlottesville, Va.
2 PM
Pitt
at
Virginia
Photo by: Jeffrey Gamza/Pitt Athletics
Pitt Travels to No. 6 Virginia Sunday
10/13/2018 7:24:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Panthers Kick Off Final Stretch of 2018 Regular Season
PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh women's soccer team hits the road, traveling to No. 6 Virginia Sunday afternoon for the first of the final four games of the 2018 regular season.
The Panthers and Cavaliers are set for a 2 p.m. kickoff at Klöckner Stadium in Charlottesville, Va.
HOW TO FOLLOW
THE MATCHUP
Pitt (4-8-1, 0-6-0 ACC) hits the road for a tough test, traveling to No. 6 Virginia for a Sunday afternoon battle in Charlottesville, Va. The Panthers enter the game after a 2-0 loss to Clemson Sunday afternoon, as Pitt kicks off its final four games of the 2018 regular season.
On the year, Anna Rico leads the offense with three goals, followed by Aiden O'Donoghue, Ashley Moreira and Madeline Gravante, who have each netted two apiece. Pitt has tallied 11 goals on the season as six different Panthers have found the back of the net.
Redshirt sophomore Amaia Pena made her ninth start of the season against Clemson and has tallied just over 900 minutes of action in 12 games this season. She has made 56 saves on the year and owns a .747 save percentage. Freshman Katherine Robinson has seen action in six games, earning the start in four, tallying 22 saves.
SCOUTING VIRGINIA
Virginia (11-2-0, 4-2-0 ACC) enters the game on a three-game win streak, having captured victories over Wake Forest, Louisville and Notre Dame. The Cavaliers' last loss came on Sept. 27 in a 1-0 upset at the hands of Virginia Tech. In its three-game win streak, the Cavaliers have outscored opponents by a margin of 9-1.
On the season, Virginia has outscored its opponents 31-7 in 13 games, as 12 different Cavaliers have found the back of the net at least once, led by Rebecca Jarrett (5), Betsy Brandon (4) and Meghan McCool (4).
Laurel Ivory has made all but one start in net for the Cavaliers, logging 1032:43 minutes with 22 saves, a .815 save percentage and an impressive 0.44 save percentage.
THE SERIES WITH VIRGINIA
The game will be the sixth all-time between the two programs in a series dating back to the 2013 season when the Panthers joined the ACC. Virginia owns a mark of 2-0-0 in Charlottesville.
TOUGH BOUTS
Of the remaining four games on Pitt's schedule, three will be against nationally-ranked teams. Of those three teams ranked nationally, all three rank in the top-15 and a pair check in in the top-10.
FRESHMEN FOOTING THE LOAD
First year players have made quite the impact for the Panthers in 2018, as the freshmen have tallied six of the team's 11 goals this year. A pair of freshmen in Anna Rico (3) and Madeline Gravante (2) are two of only four Panthers to have tallied multiple goals on the season.
RPI WATCH
The Panthers check in at No. 159 in the most recent RPI rankings. Of Pitt's remaining four games, three teams rank in the top 15 and all four check in in the top 45 – Florida State (4), Virginia (11), Boston College (13) and Notre Dame (42).
MILESTONE 400
Head coach Randy Waldrum reached a career milestone in the team's season opener against Ohio, as he secured his 400th career victory. The win was the first for Waldrum as the Panther head coach as he is now the ninth winningest head coach in NCAA Division I
women's soccer history.
THE WALDRUM ERA
The season marks the beginning of the Randy Waldrum era as the first-year head coach and his staff begin their inaugural year with the Panthers. Waldrum is the fourth head coach in program history, bringing national experience to the Panthers' program.
Waldrum saw unprecedented success in his tenure at the helm of the perennial powerhouse Notre Dame women's program. In his 14 seasons, he led the Fighting Irish to two national championships, capturing the College Cup title in 2004 and 2010. His teams won eight Big East Tournament titles and appeared in eight NCAA Final Four games in that span.
A two-time national coach of the year (2009 by Soccer America; 2010 by NSCAA), Waldrum was the first coach in NCAA history to lead a team to a national title in his/her first season with a program. He wrapped up his tenure at Notre Dame with a mark of 292-58-17 (.819) and holds an overall record of 403-115-30 (.765) as a head coach on the women's side. His record ranks fourth in all-time wins as an NCAA women's head coach and third in win percentage.
NEWBIES
The Panthers feature 14 newcomers on the roster, as 50 percent of the 2018 squad is new to the program. Pitt will debut 11 freshmen and three transfers. Of the 2017 roster with nine or more games of experience, only six return – Taylor Pryce, Vildan Kardesler, Alli Higgs, Ashley Moreira, Cheyenne Hudson and Aideen O'Donoghue.
REDSHIRT RETURNERS
Two redshirt seniors, forward Taylor Pryce and midfielder Ashley Moreira, both of whom have attended the U-20 Canadian National Team Camp, will lead the Panthers this season. Pryce started 17 of the 18 games in 2014 and 2015, scoring game-winning goals versus Louisville and Wake Forest. In 2016, she competed in two games, with one shot on goal, before missing the rest of season due to injury. Last season Pryce finished as the team's top point scorer, recording 11 points and starting in all 18 games.
Moreira also started 17 of the 18 games in 2014 and recorded 1,330 minutes of playing time, which was the fourth highest on the team. In 2015, she started all 18 games and recorded seven shots on goal, scoring her first career goal in an overtime game-winner at Colorado College. She missed the 2016 season due to the U-20 Canadian National Team Camp, but bounced back last season logging 1,541 total minutes and starting all 18 games.
GOALKEEPERS
Redshirt sophomore Amaia Pena will lead this young goalkeeper squad with a 2.55 goals against average. Last season she logged just over 529 minutes of field time and made a career-high 10 saves in a 3-2 loss vs. Boston College.
Freshmen Katherine Robinson and Claire Hinkle will also compete for time this season.
MEET THE STAFF
Randy Waldrum is joined by three fresh faces on the 2018 coaching staff in Dustin Stein, Ben Waldrum and Riley Butler.
Stein joined the Panthers after nearly five years as the head coach at Eastfield College, where he was the winningest coach in program history. While at Eastfield, his teams tallied 14 or more wins in each of his last three seasons, and boasted a record of 42-12-3 in that stretch. Eastfield was amongst the top 10 NJCAA programs in each of the last three seasons as Stein was named the 2015 NJCAA Region 5 Division 3 Coach of the Year and the Metro Athletic Conference Coach of the Year.
The younger Waldrum had served as a member of the FC Dallas staff since October of 2012, in the youth development program. In April 2015 he was promoted to head coach of the FCD Women. The team competed to a record of 34-3-3 under Waldrum's tutelage, appearing in the WPSL Playoffs in 2016 and 2017 and capturing the 2016 WPSL Southwest Conference championships.
This will be the younger Waldrum's second stint in the college ranks, as he served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator under his father at Notre Dame from 2003-08. With both Waldrums on staff, the Fighting Irish competed to a record of 111-13-5 and won the 2004 NCAA national title. He was a member of three NCAA College Cup appearances, won five Big East regular season titles and coached five All-Americans.
Butler came to the program after a four-year stint as the assistant men's coach at Radford University.
Butler helped lead the Highlanders to an overall record of 50-17-11, leading squads that were ranked in the top 25 in 2014, 2015 and 2016. The Big South Tournament champions in 2016 and regular season champions in 2014, 2015 and 2016 earned NCAA berths in both 2015 and 2016 under Butler's tutelage.
SOCCER CREST UNVEILED
The crest features elements from the City of Pittsburgh, the city's iconic bridges and the three rivers surrounding the Steel City. The crest pays homage to the Cathedral of Learning arch-shape – a shield depicts a strong foundation, honing in on the arch shape only strengthens this idea.
The castle-like design at the top of the crest was inspired by the City of Pittsburgh and University of Pittsburgh seals, as both feature a similar castle. The iconic bridge is based on the Sister Bridges (Clemente, Warhol, Rachel Carson) as there are over 446 bridges throughout the Pittsburgh region, more than any other city in the world. The idea of bridges also ties in with Pitt Athletics Department strategy of the Gold Standard. The bottom portion of the crest features the three rivers (Allegheny, Monongahela, Ohio) that surround the Pittsburgh area.
UP NEXT
Pitt will take part in its final two home games of the 2018 regular season next, hosting No. 13 Florida State (Oct. 18) and Notre Dame (Oct. 21). The outing against Notre Dame will serve as the Panthers' Senior Day.
#H2P | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
The Panthers and Cavaliers are set for a 2 p.m. kickoff at Klöckner Stadium in Charlottesville, Va.
HOW TO FOLLOW
- The game can be seen live on the ACC Network Extra via WatchESPN and the WatchESPN app.
- Live stats will be available via VirginiaSports.com.
- Fans fan follow along with live updates on Twitter @Pitt_WSOC.
THE MATCHUP
Pitt (4-8-1, 0-6-0 ACC) hits the road for a tough test, traveling to No. 6 Virginia for a Sunday afternoon battle in Charlottesville, Va. The Panthers enter the game after a 2-0 loss to Clemson Sunday afternoon, as Pitt kicks off its final four games of the 2018 regular season.
On the year, Anna Rico leads the offense with three goals, followed by Aiden O'Donoghue, Ashley Moreira and Madeline Gravante, who have each netted two apiece. Pitt has tallied 11 goals on the season as six different Panthers have found the back of the net.
Redshirt sophomore Amaia Pena made her ninth start of the season against Clemson and has tallied just over 900 minutes of action in 12 games this season. She has made 56 saves on the year and owns a .747 save percentage. Freshman Katherine Robinson has seen action in six games, earning the start in four, tallying 22 saves.
SCOUTING VIRGINIA
Virginia (11-2-0, 4-2-0 ACC) enters the game on a three-game win streak, having captured victories over Wake Forest, Louisville and Notre Dame. The Cavaliers' last loss came on Sept. 27 in a 1-0 upset at the hands of Virginia Tech. In its three-game win streak, the Cavaliers have outscored opponents by a margin of 9-1.
On the season, Virginia has outscored its opponents 31-7 in 13 games, as 12 different Cavaliers have found the back of the net at least once, led by Rebecca Jarrett (5), Betsy Brandon (4) and Meghan McCool (4).
Laurel Ivory has made all but one start in net for the Cavaliers, logging 1032:43 minutes with 22 saves, a .815 save percentage and an impressive 0.44 save percentage.
THE SERIES WITH VIRGINIA
The game will be the sixth all-time between the two programs in a series dating back to the 2013 season when the Panthers joined the ACC. Virginia owns a mark of 2-0-0 in Charlottesville.
TOUGH BOUTS
Of the remaining four games on Pitt's schedule, three will be against nationally-ranked teams. Of those three teams ranked nationally, all three rank in the top-15 and a pair check in in the top-10.
FRESHMEN FOOTING THE LOAD
First year players have made quite the impact for the Panthers in 2018, as the freshmen have tallied six of the team's 11 goals this year. A pair of freshmen in Anna Rico (3) and Madeline Gravante (2) are two of only four Panthers to have tallied multiple goals on the season.
RPI WATCH
The Panthers check in at No. 159 in the most recent RPI rankings. Of Pitt's remaining four games, three teams rank in the top 15 and all four check in in the top 45 – Florida State (4), Virginia (11), Boston College (13) and Notre Dame (42).
MILESTONE 400
Head coach Randy Waldrum reached a career milestone in the team's season opener against Ohio, as he secured his 400th career victory. The win was the first for Waldrum as the Panther head coach as he is now the ninth winningest head coach in NCAA Division I
women's soccer history.
THE WALDRUM ERA
The season marks the beginning of the Randy Waldrum era as the first-year head coach and his staff begin their inaugural year with the Panthers. Waldrum is the fourth head coach in program history, bringing national experience to the Panthers' program.
Waldrum saw unprecedented success in his tenure at the helm of the perennial powerhouse Notre Dame women's program. In his 14 seasons, he led the Fighting Irish to two national championships, capturing the College Cup title in 2004 and 2010. His teams won eight Big East Tournament titles and appeared in eight NCAA Final Four games in that span.
A two-time national coach of the year (2009 by Soccer America; 2010 by NSCAA), Waldrum was the first coach in NCAA history to lead a team to a national title in his/her first season with a program. He wrapped up his tenure at Notre Dame with a mark of 292-58-17 (.819) and holds an overall record of 403-115-30 (.765) as a head coach on the women's side. His record ranks fourth in all-time wins as an NCAA women's head coach and third in win percentage.
NEWBIES
The Panthers feature 14 newcomers on the roster, as 50 percent of the 2018 squad is new to the program. Pitt will debut 11 freshmen and three transfers. Of the 2017 roster with nine or more games of experience, only six return – Taylor Pryce, Vildan Kardesler, Alli Higgs, Ashley Moreira, Cheyenne Hudson and Aideen O'Donoghue.
REDSHIRT RETURNERS
Two redshirt seniors, forward Taylor Pryce and midfielder Ashley Moreira, both of whom have attended the U-20 Canadian National Team Camp, will lead the Panthers this season. Pryce started 17 of the 18 games in 2014 and 2015, scoring game-winning goals versus Louisville and Wake Forest. In 2016, she competed in two games, with one shot on goal, before missing the rest of season due to injury. Last season Pryce finished as the team's top point scorer, recording 11 points and starting in all 18 games.
Moreira also started 17 of the 18 games in 2014 and recorded 1,330 minutes of playing time, which was the fourth highest on the team. In 2015, she started all 18 games and recorded seven shots on goal, scoring her first career goal in an overtime game-winner at Colorado College. She missed the 2016 season due to the U-20 Canadian National Team Camp, but bounced back last season logging 1,541 total minutes and starting all 18 games.
GOALKEEPERS
Redshirt sophomore Amaia Pena will lead this young goalkeeper squad with a 2.55 goals against average. Last season she logged just over 529 minutes of field time and made a career-high 10 saves in a 3-2 loss vs. Boston College.
Freshmen Katherine Robinson and Claire Hinkle will also compete for time this season.
MEET THE STAFF
Randy Waldrum is joined by three fresh faces on the 2018 coaching staff in Dustin Stein, Ben Waldrum and Riley Butler.
Stein joined the Panthers after nearly five years as the head coach at Eastfield College, where he was the winningest coach in program history. While at Eastfield, his teams tallied 14 or more wins in each of his last three seasons, and boasted a record of 42-12-3 in that stretch. Eastfield was amongst the top 10 NJCAA programs in each of the last three seasons as Stein was named the 2015 NJCAA Region 5 Division 3 Coach of the Year and the Metro Athletic Conference Coach of the Year.
The younger Waldrum had served as a member of the FC Dallas staff since October of 2012, in the youth development program. In April 2015 he was promoted to head coach of the FCD Women. The team competed to a record of 34-3-3 under Waldrum's tutelage, appearing in the WPSL Playoffs in 2016 and 2017 and capturing the 2016 WPSL Southwest Conference championships.
This will be the younger Waldrum's second stint in the college ranks, as he served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator under his father at Notre Dame from 2003-08. With both Waldrums on staff, the Fighting Irish competed to a record of 111-13-5 and won the 2004 NCAA national title. He was a member of three NCAA College Cup appearances, won five Big East regular season titles and coached five All-Americans.
Butler came to the program after a four-year stint as the assistant men's coach at Radford University.
Butler helped lead the Highlanders to an overall record of 50-17-11, leading squads that were ranked in the top 25 in 2014, 2015 and 2016. The Big South Tournament champions in 2016 and regular season champions in 2014, 2015 and 2016 earned NCAA berths in both 2015 and 2016 under Butler's tutelage.
SOCCER CREST UNVEILED
The crest features elements from the City of Pittsburgh, the city's iconic bridges and the three rivers surrounding the Steel City. The crest pays homage to the Cathedral of Learning arch-shape – a shield depicts a strong foundation, honing in on the arch shape only strengthens this idea.
The castle-like design at the top of the crest was inspired by the City of Pittsburgh and University of Pittsburgh seals, as both feature a similar castle. The iconic bridge is based on the Sister Bridges (Clemente, Warhol, Rachel Carson) as there are over 446 bridges throughout the Pittsburgh region, more than any other city in the world. The idea of bridges also ties in with Pitt Athletics Department strategy of the Gold Standard. The bottom portion of the crest features the three rivers (Allegheny, Monongahela, Ohio) that surround the Pittsburgh area.
UP NEXT
Pitt will take part in its final two home games of the 2018 regular season next, hosting No. 13 Florida State (Oct. 18) and Notre Dame (Oct. 21). The outing against Notre Dame will serve as the Panthers' Senior Day.
#H2P | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Players Mentioned
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