Oct. 11, 2009
Box Score
INDIANOLA, Pa.--Junior Katheryn Kunugi scored her first career goal and Pitt registered its eighth shutout of the year with a 1-0 victory Sunday against Syracuse at Founders Field. The win improves Pitt to 7-3-4 overall and 2-1-4 in Big East play. Syracuse drops to 4-8-3 overall and 1-5-1 in the Big East.
With its seventh win of the year, Pitt needs just one more victory to tie its season school record for most wins in a year (eight in 1996 and 2006). The shutout marked its eighth of the year, another team school record.
The match marked the final home contest for Pitt's five seniors: Ashley Habbel, Alison Finch, Molly Griganavicius, Maura Caslin and Katie Caslin. The five players were honored prior to the match. Finch played a key role at goalkeeper, earning the shutout while making three saves. Habbel played 73 minutes and had several near-misses on shots. The Caslins both played the majority of the game.
Pitt took its 1-0 leader in the game's 36th minute when junior defender Kat Weiler launched an indirect kick toward the far side of the goal mouth. Kunugi ran onto the ball and headed it past Syracuse goalkeeper Eliza Bennett-Hattan for the 1-0 Pitt lead. The scored marked Kunugi's first career goal. The Panthers controlled play in the first half, outshooting Syracuse 5-2.
Pitt had several golden opportunities in the second half as its outshot the Orange 11-5. Junior Liz Carroll launched a header straight at Bennett-Hattan. Habbel had a chance to score when she found herself with the ball all alone at the goal mouth but sent it right. Minutes later, Habbel controlled a Carroll flick-on and missed to the left. Junior Christina Nicassio then blasted a shot that bounced off the crossbar.
Syracuse's Bennett-Hattan made seven saves in the game. The Orange managed just four shots in the game against Pitt's defense.
For the game, Pitt outshot Syracuse 16-4 and had six corner kicks to the Orange's one.
Pitt is back in action on Friday, Oct. 16 at Georgetown (3 p.m.) and at Villanova on Sunday, Oct. 18 (1 p.m.).
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