University of Connecticut Athletics
Freshmen lead the way in 3-0 win over Pittsburgh
10/19/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
STORRS, CT (October 19) – The No. 15 University of Connecticut women’s soccer team posted its third straight shutout en route to a 3-0 win over Pittsburgh Friday night at Morrone Stadium.
The Huskies improved to 11-4-0 overall and 4-0 all-time against the Panthers. Pittsburgh, which has yet to score a goal in the series, dropped to 6-7-1 overall.
Freshman forward Kristen Graczyk (Albuquerque, NM) netted her team-leading eighth goal of the season in the 37th minute to give UConn the only score it would need on the night. She took a pass from junior midfielder Sarah Popper (Penn Yan, NY) and fired a shot from just inside the box on the left side for the far post. BIG EAST Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year Rachel Brown darted to her left to make the save, but the ball deflected off a Pittsburgh defender into the left corner for the goal.
Freshman Zahra Jalalian (Auburn, WA), making her first start of the season after netting game winners last weekend against West Virginia and William & Mary, scored her third goal in as many games at 61:46. Freshman Abby Shepherd (Milford, MI) found Jalalian wide open at the top of the box, and the forward turned and fired a left-footed shot into the right corner of the net.
Though the Huskies began to substitute midway through the second half, senior Alexa Borisjuk (North Haven, CT) found her way into the scoring column. She got a ball on the right side of the box from senior Kaycee McElree (Davis, CA) and blasted it past Brown for her fifth goal of the season.
UConn outshot Pittsburgh 24-7 and owned the 6-2 edge in corner kicks. Senior goalkeeper Shanna Caldwell (Williamsburg, VA) made her third straight start in goal and combined with junior Maria Yatrakis (Brooklyn, NY) for the shutout. The two combined to make three saves on the night while Brown recorded five.
Connecticut will be back in action on Sunday, October 21 at Morrone Stadium for a clash with No. 4 Notre Dame. The Irish, who stand 11-1-1 overall and have clinched the BIG EAST Mid-Atlantic Division, have won three straight games but are coming off a week-long layoff. The game will be broadcast by Connecticut Public Television, with kickoff scheduled for 1:05 p.m. Play-by-play announcer Bill Shwitzer will call the action with Scott Gray providing the color commentary.
