The women’s soccer team fell to 0-5 on their early 2022 fall season, losing to ranked Grace College on Monday, Sept. 5 2-0, and Lourdes University on Saturday, Sept. 10 1-0. Both games were on the road. The Pioneers have started their season 0-5 back to back years to start their season, where last year Point Park was able to bounce back and win four straight in a season where they finished at 8-8-3, and a 6-2-3 record in the River State Conference (RSC).  

 Game one was a road trip to Winona Lake, Indiana to take on the Grace College Lancers, the 24th ranked team in the NAIA this season. The Lancers jumped on the Pioneers quickly in the match, scoring in the ninth minute to make it 1-0 after a handful of passes opened up a shot for the home squad. The game would stay close, but the Lancers would tack on an insurance goal in the 34th minute of the contest to make it 2-0 over the Pioneers. Point Park continued to be efficient in their shot attempts; although they were only able to take four shots, three of them were on net. Grace college would take 15, with nine landing on net. 

Game two was another game on the road for the Pioneers, with the team traveling to Sylvania, Ohio, to take on the Lourdes University Gray Wolves. Lourdes was firing away on offense, taking 11 shots in the first half alone, but only being able to get four to land on net. The offense for the home team was able to finally land though, in the 41st minute, after scoring on a rebound attempt to make the score 1-0. The match would stay this way throughout the contest, with both squads threatening but neither being able to get the ball to hit the back of the net. After only being able to muster one shot in the first 45 minutes of play, Point Park was able to get four in the second half, but were only able to land two on net. Lourdes would end their night taking 22 shots, but were only able to hit the net on nine of said shots. Junior middle Athena Beck led the team in shots with three, with two of them landing on net. Senior forward Holly Pascoe would hit the other shot on net. 

The Pioneers still have a tough stretch of schedule ahead of them for the beginning of their season, with the team taking on Washington Adventist University on the road on Wednesday, Sept. 14, who have won their last two matches with a combined score of 16-0. Point Park will then return home to the Montour Junction Sports Complex in Coraopolis, to take on second ranked Spring Arbor University. 

“I think playing strong competitors always appears as though it would hurt the team. But that’s exactly it, it only seems that way on paper,” said junior goalkeeper Ella Serlin. “Having tough teams allows us to see our strongest and weakest aspects of our game. It builds mental strength, and I think playing the games we have will ultimately help us in the long run.”

Home games will continue to be streamed through the Point Park Athletics website, with schedule updates for future game times and locations.