LATROBE, Pa. (Sept. 6) – A breakaway goal by Jordan Kirkwood early in the second half lifted Saint Vincent to a 1-0 victory over crosstown rival Pitt-Greensburg in non-conference women's soccer action at a toasty UPMC Field.
 
Four minutes into the second frame, Kirkwood took a long lead pass from Tanisha Grewal, raced up the right sideline and buried a right-footer from 15 yards out into the upper right 90 for her first career tally. The Saint Vincent defense would then bear down, surrendering just one UPG shot over the final 40 minutes of play to seal the one-goal win.
 
The victory snapped Saint Vincent's (2-1) five-game losing streak against its Westmoreland County foe, as it marked the Bearcats' first win over the Bobcats (1-2) since 2013.
 
In the first half, Saint Vincent had the better of the play early on, tallying three shots on goal and two corner kicks in the opening 23 minutes, but were unable to net an early goal. Play would then even out, with the majority of the final 20 minutes of the half contested in the middle third of the field. Over the opening 45 minutes, each team was credited with five shots, with UPG keeper Paige John making five first-half saves to keep the game scoreless.
 
The Bearcats nearly took the lead just 37 seconds into the second half, when Grewal's attempt in close was saved by a leaping John. 
 
Five minutes later, with the ball deep inside the UPG attacking zone, SVC's Ashley Smith picked the pocket of a UPG midfielder, and fired a pass up the sideline to Grewal. Grewal accepted it in stride, and after zagging across the middle of the field, connected on a long pass to Kirkwood. The rookie gathered it 30 yards from the goal, dribbled to space at the top of the box, and sent it into the upper near corner of the net for her first career marker to give the Bearcats the lead with 41:34 left in regulation.
 
As the game wound down, UPG looked to up its offensive pressure, taking four corner kicks over the final 25 minutes, but the Bearcat defense held, allowing only one second half shot, an attempt that went wide in the 74th minute.
 
For the match, Saint Vincent finished with an 11-6 advantage in shots, including a 6-1 margin over the second half. Grewal led the Bearcats with three attempts, while Smith took two, both on goal.
 
Saint Vincent keeper Madison Arnold was forced to make just one save in earning her second consecutive shutout victory. John ended with eight saves for the Bobcats.
 
The Bearcats, now winners of two straight, will return to action on Sunday, Sept. 10, traveling to Penn State-Altoona for a 1 p.m. non-conference bout.