Syracuse defeats Pittsburgh for their first ACC win

Story and photos by Jacqueline Mundry


SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- One free kick was all it took to seal the fate of Sunday's ACC match  between the Pittsburgh Panthers and Syracuse Orange at the SU Soccer Stadium.

The Orange (8-5-3, 1-4-2 ACC)) defeated the Panthers (2-12-1, 1-6-0) by a score of 1-0.

The lone goal came in the 26th minute after a Pittsburgh foul gave Orange freshman defender, Taylor Bennett, an opportunity for a 25-yard free kick and she made the most of it.

Bennett's boot

This was Bennett's second career goal, the first also was a free kick in a win over the University of Albany.

"I think from the angle we had, it could be one of the goals of the season," Syracuse head coach Phil Wheddon said.

Panthers head coach, Greg Miller acknowledged Bennett as well.

"I'm proud of our effort but at the end of the day you have to score goals," he said. "The goal they scored was not savable, that was a great free kick and it was the difference maker."

"Taylor gave everything she could on the field so did the rest of the players so I'm really pleased," Wheddon said.


Defenses win games

Both the Orange and the Panthers needed a win on badly Sunday and both teams played aggressive defense.

"Two teams battling to get three points, both teams needed these three points," Wheddon said.

Syracuse's junior goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan has been nursing an injury since the loss to Virginia Tech. Even with a five-save shutout on Sunday, she still appeared to be in pain.

"She's tough and she fights through," Wheddon said.

He praised his goalie for being able to shut out an ACC team.

"It's great for Courtney today to come in here and get a shutout against a team that can be very dangerous in the attack," he said.

This was Brosnan's sixth shutout of the season.

Pitt's keeper Taylor Francis recorded six saves.

Neither Bennett nor Brosnan was available for an interview after the match,

Coming up

Wheddon wasn't thrilled with his team's overall performance, but he is looking ahead.

"It wasn't our best performance, I thought we were disorganized at times, I thought we gave the ball away very very easily but that's the great thing about soccer, if you win a game and you don't play your best, you know that you've got more to come so we'll have more to come when we play against Wake Forest and UNC next week," he said.

Both teams are back in action on Thursday Oct. 20. Syracuse will travel to Wake Forest and Pittsburgh will host #11 North Carolina.