Point Park’s women’s soccer team won their first game of the season last Saturday, October 3, defeating Brescia University 4-0 on the road in Owensboro, Kentucky. 

In the Pioneers’ first River State Conference (RSC) matchup, the girls came out firing on all cylinders in the first half of the match; scoring three goals in the first 35 minutes of the game, and a final one in the 83-minute during the second half. Four different players scored for the Pioneers, while also shooting a dominant 25 shots (16 on goal) compared to the Bearcats 8 (5 on goal). Freshman Goalkeeper Sarah Malinsky, starting her first game, led the way defensively with a shutout, blocking all 5 shots on goal on the way to the dominant victory. 

The Pioneers were able to put in their first goal off the foot of junior forward Nola Mcguire at the 17-minute. A minute later the Pioneers would strike again, sending one to the back of the net off a shot from freshman defender Athena Beck. Junior forward Taylor Goldstrohm would score the third in the first half with a goal at the 34-minute. 

“I was up top and the ball bounced to me, I broke through the defensive line and tried to change speeds. It was then one-on-one with the center back and I fought her off, then just shot it in the left back corner of the net,” Goldstrohm said. 

Freshman Defender Kylee Bobak would cap the game off with a goal late in the second half, in the 83-minute. Three different players on the Pioneers got off 4 shots or more during the game, while only one Brescia player was able to record more than one shot. Only four players on the Bearcats were able to record more than one shot. 

“We were finally able to see connections being made between the defensive line all the way up to the attacking players,” Senior Midfielder Bailey Boyd said. “It’s been a really good confidence boost for the team, but it also puts us in the right mindset for a big rivalry game against Carlow on Tuesday (October 6).” 

The Pioneers, after having multiple weeks off and had two games postponed due to COVID-19 concerns, are now 1-1 on the season, and will play a make-up match against Carlow University on Tuesday, Oct. 6 at Montour Junction Sports Complex (MJSC), the home this season for both teams, though the Pioneers will be playing as visitors for the game. The Girl’s will have another game on Thursday, Oct.8 against Midway University at home at MJSC again, with another match happening the next week against Ohio Christian University at home again; another one of the make-up games from the last few weeks away from the pitch. 

“Honestly I felt a little relieved that the game got postponed because otherwise we would have only had one day to prepare for a hard conference match, whereas now we got to have a few games and practices to get ready to compete after the weeks off,” Boyd said. All games going forward as well will be RSC conference matchups to follow COVID-19 rules by the Conference.