Pitt
Monmouth
GAME PREVIEW: Panthers Back in Action Sunday at Monmouth
8/16/2025 7:31:00 AM | Women's Soccer
PITTSBURGH -- Pitt (1-0-0) returns to action Sunday, Aug. 17 with a road contest against Monmouth (0-1-0) in a 1 p.m. first kick from Hesse Field in West Long Branch, N.J. The Panthers opened the season and the Ben Waldrum head coaching era with a 2-0 win over Xavier Thursday evening at Ambrose Urbanic Field.
Freshman Katie Ellermeyer found the back of the net in her collegiate debut, while Lola Abraham scored her first goal as a Panthers after missing the second half of her freshman season a year ago with a knee injury. Veteran forwards Margaret Wilde and Emily Cooper sparked both of the Panthers' goals in the opener. Wilde was credited with assists on both goals for the first multi-assist game of her career. Cooper created the first goal with hustle play and cross that created the scoring action before earning an assist off another cross into the box on the Panthers' second goal.
THE OPENING KICK
- The Panthers have recorded 10 or more wins in four of the past five seasons and have totaled 63 victories since the start of the 2020-21 season.
- Pitt returns 12 letterwinners from the 2024 squad that finished the year 9-6-3. The Panthers lost five of its top six goal scorers from last season but return a solid core of players led by goalie Ellie Breech, outside back Olivia Lee, forward Lucia Wells, forward Lola Abraham and midfielder Magali Gagne.
- The Panthers' roster entered the season with 13 career goals in the Pitt uniform. Katie Zailski has six career goals at Pitt but is currently sidelined due to injury, while Magali Gagne is the second leading returning goal scorer after finding the back of the net four times last season.
- Six players made their Pitt debuts with Mariama Dabo, Hannah Minogue, Alia Jaidi, and Sophie Rourke earning starting nods with Katie Ellermeyer and Adoo Philomina Yina making an impact of the bench.
- Goalie Ellie Breech moved into a tie for third in the Pitt record books with her 11th career shutout in the season opening win over Xavier.
WHERE TO WATCH
- Kickoff from Hesse Field in West Long Branch, N.J. is set for 1 p.m. with Eddy Occhipinti and Shannon Poser calling the action on FloCollege.
- Live stats for the contest are also available HERE.
