SOUTH BEND, Ind. – In soccer, some days the goals fall and some days they don’t. On Sunday for No. 17 Notre Dame (8-2-0, 1-2-0) it was unfortunately the latter, dropping a 3-1 decision to Pitt (10-1-0, 3-0-0) at home. It marked the first loss inside Alumni Stadium this season (6-1-0).
Trailing 1-0 at the half, Ellie Ospeck hit an equalizer midway through the second half, but the Panthers responded with two more goals in a 10-minute span to escape with the victory.
Also important to note, Mac Herman Trophy Watch List nominee and star center-back Eva Gaetino missed the entire second half due to injury, for she was evaluated by the training staff at the half.
How It Happened
Notre Dame dictated the pace in the early going with two near chances in the opening 10 minutes. The first was a nice passing sequence between Mercado, Klenke and Wingate, with Mercado who hit a left-footed bomb but right at the keeper.
A few moments later it was an Albert free kick from the right side. Gaetino got a head on it and passed it to the post where Wingate was, but her header went off the crossbar and was eventually cleared.
Pitt started to create some chances late in the half, and it was a failed clearance and not marking up that led to a Panthers goal in the 29th minute. A cross in from the right side was headed toward the ND goal by an Irish defender. Pitt’s Anna Bout got a shot off that was saved by Ashley Naylor, but Leah Pais came streaking in for the rebound goal.
The start of the second half mimicked the start of the game, in which the Irish dictated most of the play and had the scoring opportunities. Within the first 15 minutes, both Wingate and Mercado had near goals.
For Wingate, it was a classic 1-on-3 situation in which she was able to break through and get a shot off but it went high. Then a little bit later it was Ospeck who sent a low cross into the box from the left side and found Mercado who sent a shot high as well.
Notre Dame found the equalizer in the 64th minute – a Wingate cross sailed over the goalie’s arm and Ospeck was in the right spot to guide it into the goal with a slight touch. It marked Ospeck’s second goal of the season and the second assist for Wingate.
Less than seven minutes later Notre Dame almost got the go-ahead. – Katie Coyle beat a defender and hit a cross on the ground to Martinez, who was sprinting in but her one-time shot went way high.
However, the Panthers quelled the storm and the next 10 minutes was a series of unfortunate events for the Irish. First, it was a long-range goal from Pitt’s Landy Mertz that found the back far post pocket over a stretched Naylor. Then the next was a cross into the box that resulted in an own goal off the head of an Irish defender.
Up Next
The Irish will have just one contest over the next week – a road matchup at Boston College on Thursday, Sept. 29. First touch is scheduled for 6 pm ET on ACCNX.