well Pitts luck ran out down the stretch. I really enjoyed watching this team grow. Its safe to say this team is much improved over last years version and even much improved from their non conference version. They have made every ACC game exciting and probably punched a little bit over their weight. The Wake forest result was pretty fair. WF controlled the entire game and eventually found the winner in 2OT. I actually felt like Pitt controlled large portions of the Clemson game and came back from down 0-2 to force OT. A little unlucky to have their starting GK get hurt with about 6 minutes to play. They had to put in the backup with very little experience. The back up did great and the game winning goal was worthy of being a winner. Without picking up a point that pretty much ended Pitts long shot ACC tourney hopes. Best case scenario for Pitt is they have to beat Virginia Tech on Thursday. Then if Notre Dame loses there would b a 3 way tie for the 8th and final spot. (I think) it would go down to conference goal differential with the 3 way tie. Notre Dame has the advantage there right now at 0, Virginia Tech is at -3, and Pitt at -7. Pitt would have to absolutely smash VT and hope for a big WF win over ND. Not likely but soccer is a crazy sport.
PITT vs VT..... who do you think wins? Does playing at home help PITT a little? How about playing on turf? Forecast is for the temp to drop and winds to increase tonight. Playing in 20mph winds always makes things interesting. I'll guess that VT wins but really just a flip of a coin as I expect an close and entertaining match.
Pitt has been pretty tough at home in the ACC. I think they will be up for the challenge. I think VT gets a much tougher game than they are expecting. I think this game will go into OT. flip of a coin who wins it in OT. I would like West to get a goal and an assist tonight. She's already broken the Pitt single season point record. She is currently tied for the Pitt single season goals scored and assists in a season. not a bad campaign for the freshmen. hope she gets both records tonight
Wildcatter I think it was more the law of averages that caught up with us rather than lack of luck through the last stretch of conference play. We simply cannot afford to concede that many shots and expect to consistently come out on top in league play. I am eager to see if the new recruits can help shore up a much too leaky defense next year. WF ran through our defense pretty much at will through large stretches of that game and probably deserved the win in the end. Clemson was an interesting match. We played them tough and through some gritty play we clawed our way back into the match. They dominated OT however and secured the win with a nice shot. If we can slow down VT's midfield play I think it will be a close game tonight. If we fail we will be in trouble.
Pitt has given up around 30 shots in each of its last 4 games and have been completely outplayed for the vast majority of its games (including its upset win over NC State). In addition to West and being able to take advantage of opportunities when they get them (they've had a great conversion rate in recent games), luck has definitely been on their side. But the secret is out on Pitt and West, I don't think VA Tech will overlook them now. Being at home is definitely an advantage though...
Statistically speaking, if you look at two teams' RPI ratings in a game at a neutral site, the better rated team will have the better win likelihood. If one of the teams is home, that is worth 0.0150 in RPI rating numbers. So, having home field (1) will at least change the win likelihood and (2) can change which team has the better win likelihood.
Well Virginia Tech won and probably deservingly so. Pitt hit the post with about 10 minutes to play and they scored with about 20 seconds left but it was called back for an offsides call. Definitely the right call. I am proud of this Pitt team. It was fun watching them grow up through the course of the season. From a team that dropped games to UMASS, Dartmouth, VCU, Liberty and tied Rhode Island non conference to going 2-6-2 in ACC play. I will take that. Its not perfect but its a lot better than last year. Keep in mind pitt last season went 0-10 in conference play. They only scored 2 goals all ACC season and had a -40 goal differential This season pitt went 2-6-2 including 5 OT games. They scored 13 goals in ACC play and had a goal differential of -8. Thats a pretty good jump from year 1 to year 2. Im excited to see how this team grows. They don't really graduate anyone major. Most minutes were played by freshmen. I am curious to see who Waldrum has coming in for the 2020 class and how this team continues to grow. That wrapped up with the work Jay Vidovitch is doing with the mens team at Pitt it makes for exciting times to be a Pitt soccer fan. Thanks for the year ladies and I can't wait for 2020 HAIL TO PITT!
I can't hail them as they dropped their last few games but will definitely note and celebrate the progress they made throughout the season.
Definitely some progress made this year, especially in goal differential, but we have not yet turned the corner in my opinion. I think we could of nabbed a couple of more wins this year than we ended up with. Lots of puzzle pieces still to find. Too much chasing and not enough defending in our games this year which led to a shooting gallery against our goalies in many of our conference games. Notwithstanding Amanda West's great freshman year we need more offensive threats as she can't carry the team on her back in conference. All in all though I saw enough to be encouraged. I am looking forward to see who leaves, who stays, how the team progresses in the off-season and what the new class has to offer in 2020.
No doubt that Pitt made progress. And I would attribute that to the new coaching staff recruiting and game management. I do think that Randy was the right choice for Pitt and that he is on schedule to be seriously competitive in the ACC in a few more years. (That should be in 2023.)
I think by 2023 they will start being in the top 6 consistently. I also would expect by 2023 they are making the NCAA Tournament every year. may not seem like a bold statement but keep in mind they have never made the NCAA Tournament.
https://pittsburghpanthers.com/news...AHg1L86L2b57N-YK-vCoesr3QvIf75pndX150dso1pa2U AMANDA WEST SELECTED TO ALL-ACC THIRD AND FRESHMAN TEAMS
ok need some help from one of you college coaches! I know y'all read these forums. Just curious if Pitt has any kids on the transfer portal yet. I know they have a big roster and Im curious how many they add with tomorrow being signing day. Just trying to figure out what the roster is looking like for next year.
Yeah there's some pretty big news regarding Pitt and transfers, and also committments, and it's not good. I don't want to leak about the transfer because she hasn't gone public yet, but Paige Tolentino decomitted and is going to UNC now. It's on her Instagram. If anyone wants to speculate that she started getting called into youth national team camps, and then the girls director at the club she plays at is the brother of the UNC assistant coach, well that's surely just totally coincidental.
that last part is probably exactly what happened. She got called into a National Team camp so now Carolina is interested in and convinces her to walk on. Good for Paige if that's what she wanted. I understand wanting to play at Carolina but she went from being the guaranteed starter at Pitt likely playin 90 minutes a game to playing sparingly at Carolina. at least early on in her career.
The Nahas brothers know that area. If they were not interested enough to offer her before, then why now? Maybe they were, who knows. I doubt its as you speculate though. Getting called (or not) into YNT camps should not change their perception of a player.
Seems obvious, but because she's better now. She committed to Miller-era Pitt a couple of years ago, because that's the level she was at back then. Not a level UNC was interested in. Then she developed into one of the best players on her DA team. Then she got called into YNT camps. Then she changed her committment to UNC. At some point, UNC encouraged her to do this. The decommit doesn't happen otherwise.
WOW I didn't know Chloe Minas was committed to Pitt! Thats a pretty big get for Pitt. May not be a house hold name to most but she is a member of Canada's U20's and is a really fun player to watch. I know she had interest from several other ACC schools. don't really know how Waldrum convinced her to come to Pitt but I am glad he did. She will definitely help upgrade his midfield which drastically needed to be.
If Chloe is as good as you think she is Wildcatter than that will be a much needed addition to Pitts midfield. I look forward to seeing what she can do. Enzo any more info on transfers?
Mojo here is a little highlight film on her. I think she will bring some flare in the midfield that Pitt was definitely missing this year