No. 14 Women’s Soccer Hosts Louisville in Saturday Night Matchup

THE MATCHUP

The No. 14-ranked Pitt women’s soccer team (9-1-0, 3-0-0 ACC) looks to continue its strong start to the 2022 season as it plays host to Louisville (4-3-2, 1-2-0 ACC) Saturday in an ACC matchup at Ambrose Urbanic Field. First touch is set for 7 p.m. The contest will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra.

BACK IN THE RANKINGS

Pitt enters Saturday’s matchup against the Cardinals ranked No. 14 in the country, per the latest United Soccer Coaches Rankings. This marks the third-straight year the Panthers have appeared in the weekly poll. Pitt reached as high as No. 19 in the poll last season and No. 12 in 2020.

TOP TEN RPI RATING

The NCAA’s second Rating Percentage Index (RPI) report of the 2022 season saw the Panthers climb from 18th-best RPI to seventh.

HOT START

With 10 wins in 11 attempts, Pitt is off to its best start in program history and has matched the 2015 squad for the best start to ACC play in program history at 3-0-0. With their next victory, the Panthers will match the 2020-21 and 2021 teams for the most victories in a single season in program history.

A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING

ACC play has seen Pitt record its first-ever wins over Virginia Tech (4-1) and Notre Dame (3-1). The Panthers were previously 0-7-1 against the Hokies and 0-15-1 against the Fighting Irish.

BUILDING THE PROGRAM

The Panthers are now 41-35-1 under the leadership of fifth-year head coach Randy Waldrum. After going 9-22-4 in the first two years of a massive rebuild, Pitt has gone 32-15 over the last two-plus seasons.

PILING UP POINTS

With seven games still to play in the 2022 regular season, Pitt has already set a program record for points in a single season with 114 (39 goals, 36 assists). The previous high-water mark was shared by the 2020-21 and 1998 teams with 104. The Panthers’ 114 points is good for second in NCAA Division I behind Gardner-Webb’s 128 while their 10.36 points per game ranks third behind Florida State (10.78) and Gardner-Webb (10.67).

OFFENSIVE ONSLAUGHT

Pitt has outscored the opposition 39-9 so far in 2022. The Panthers’ 39 goals rank as the second most in a single season in program history behind the 2021 team’s 41 and are good for the second-most in NCAA Division I this season behind Gardner-Webb (42). Pitt ranks second in the country in scoring offense with 3.55 goals per game and is fifth in…