Pitt women's soccer defeats Arkansas to reach NCAA Tournament Sweet 16
Pitt women’s soccer reached the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 for the second time in school history — and second consecutively — when Ellie Coffield’s header off a corner kick from Sarah Schupansky eluded Arkansas goalkeeper Phoebe Carver to give the Panthers a 4-3 second-round victory Friday night in Fayetteville, Ark.
While holding a 30-10-4 record over the past two seasons, No. 11 Pitt (16-5-1) advanced to play Memphis on Sunday night.
The dramatic goal in front of a crowd of 2,215 broke a 3-3 tie with 1 minute, 25 seconds left to play. It was the second of the match and eighth of the season for Coffield, a junior from Mars. She also scored at the 76th minute to tie the score, securing the ball in the top corner of the net.
Schupansky (North Allegheny) recorded two assists in the match to set Pitt’s single-season record for points (35).
Amanda West, who is Pitt’s all-time leading scorer, gave the Panthers a 1-0 lead with her 50th career goal in the first period. Landy Mertz (Upper St. Clair) and Schupansky assisted.
After Arkansas (15-5-2) took a 2-1 lead, Pitt’s Keera Melenhorst tied the score on an assist from Mertz.
Pitt goalkeeper Ellie Breech made three saves, two in the second period.
Jerry DiPaola is a TribLive reporter covering Pitt athletics since 2011. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in 1993, first as a copy editor and page designer in the sports department and later as the Pittsburgh Steelers reporter from 1994-2004. He can be reached at jdipaola@triblive.com.
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