Bradford, PA -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford women's soccer team celebrated Senior Day on Saturday, as they hosted Carlow at Rathburn Family Field. After honoring seniors Abigail Bateman and Riley Stowe, the Panthers battled the Celtics for 90 minutes, finishing in a 0-0 draw.
Abigail Bateman is in her first season with the Panthers after transferring into the program from Keystone. She has started 10 of 11 games for the Panthers this year as a key cog in the midfield. She has tallied 3 shots with 2 on target. Riley Stowe has been a member of the Panthers for 4 seasons, but has missed most of the last two seasons with a knee injury. In her time with the Panthers, she has played 21 games, starting 18. She has 2 goals and an assist, on 19 shots.
Neither team threatened early, as possession flipped back and forth in the middle of the pitch. The visitors were the first to break through, forcing Josie Orinko into a pair of saves in the first 11 minutes of play. Chloe Stretton put the Panthers' first shot on target in the 13th, and then nearly scored in the 21st. After a Pitt-Bradford corner, Stretton collected a loose ball 30 yards from goal. She released a high-arching shot that the Carlow keeper forced onto the crossbar and then grabbed before it bounced into the goal. Tessa Duchi put a pair of shots on target before Orink was forced into another stop in the 41st. A Minute later, the Panthers were handed a big chance to open the scoring. On a corner kick, Ellie Yeager was fouled by a Carlow defender, resulting in a penalty kick for the Panthers. Yeager stepped up to take the kick, but while the keeper guessed wrong, Yeager's shot hit the post and deflected away, ending the chance.
Within a minute of the restart, the Panthers missed on another chance to score. Duchi beat a defender on the left wing and hit a cross into the box for Riley Stowe. Stowe was able to take a one-time shot on the pass, but her effort missed the net. Two minutes later, the Panthers nearly opened the scoring again. Mallory Atwater dribbled around the Carlow left back and hit a shot towards the goal. Her effort went through the goalkeeper's outstretched hands, but was headed off the line by a Celtic defender. The Panthers had the ball in the net in the 59th minute, but Tessa Duchi's potential goal was called off due to a foul on the keeper. The Panthers had one final chance to score in the game, but were stopped by a double save in the 79th. Makartnee Mortimer's free kick deflected off a defender and headed towards the corner, but Carlow's keeper dived and parried it away. Gianna Gomez was able to gather the rebound, but her second effort was also stopped.
Ellie Yeager led the Panthers with 4 shots, while Riley Stowe took 3. Tessa Duchi and Chloe Stretton each had two shots and put them both on target. Makartnee Mortimer, Gianna Gomez, and Mallory Atwater also forced saves out of the Carlow keeper in the draw. Josie Orink made 4 saves in the game.
The Panthers are now 1-9-1 on the season, with a 0-5-1 mark in AMCC play. They will need to win their final two AMCC matchups against Hilbert and Mount Aloysius, and get help from around the conference to qualify for postseason play. They will travel to Buffalo on Wednesday to take on Hilbert at 4:00 p.m.
