INDIANA, Pa. - The IUP women's soccer team (9-6-0, 7-6-0 PSAC West) suffered a home loss to the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown Mountain Cats (5-11-0, 4-10-0 PSAC West) on Wednesday afternoon. The Crimson Hawks were undone by a lone second half goal to fall to the Mountain Cats for the second time this season. 
 
How it Happened
>> The Crimson Hawks started the match off brightly, earning several corner kicks within the first twenty minutes of the match.
>> The Crimson Hawks were unable to capitalize on their dead ball opportunities, and the Mountain Cats almost made them pay when they hit the IUP crossbar with a shot in the 20th minute.
>> That chance would be the extent of the threat to the IUP goal in the first half, as the Crimson Hawks outshot the visitors by three to one in the final twenty minutes of the first half. 
>> A pattern soon developed after the start of the second half, as the visiting side seemed content to sit back and defend while the Crimson Hawks took on much of the offensive impetus in the game.
>> With the Mountain Cats content to look for a chance on the counter attack, physicality in the game started to pick up.
>> The visitors would then take the lead out of almost nothing in the 66th minute. A blocked shot by the IUP defense gave the Mountain Cats their first corner kick of the game, and they would make it count. IUP goalkeeper Madeline Smakulski made a fantastic double save off of the ensuing kick, but the referee adjudged the second shot to have crossed the goal line, and awarded Pitt-Johnstown the goal. 
>> The Crimson Hawks came close to leveling the score ten minutes later when a long free kick from Makenzie Witzel forced a good save out of the Mountain Cats goalkeeper.
>> Ultimately the Crimson Hawks were unable to find a way past Maria Mosquera in the UPJ goal, and the home side suffered just their third home loss of the season.

Game Notes
>> The Crimson Hawks out shot the Mountain Cats 11-8 on Wednesday.
>> A fairly physical match saw the two teams combine for 11 fouls, and three yellow cards.
>> The Crimson Hawks edged Mountain Cats in the corner count. IUP earned five corner kicks to the Mountain Cats four.
>> IUP goalkeeper Madeline Smakulski made two saves in the defeat. 

Up Next
>> The Crimson Hawks will hit the road for a crucial match against the Seton Hill Griffins on Saturday afternoon. Kick off is set for 1:00 p.m. in Greensburg.