Genco scores twice, West Virginia defeats Pitt, 5-1, in home opener
MORGANTOWN, Wv. -- The West Virginia Mountaineers rattled off 5 unanswered goals to defeat the Pitt Panthers, 5-1, in their home opener Friday night at Hope Gas Ice Pavilion in Morgantown.
Pittsburgh entered the game hoping to recreate the magic of last season’s regular season finale, in which the team came from down two goals to defeat the Mountaineers, 5-4. Such a comeback, Friday, was not to be had.
Similar to that game, the Panthers started off slow, as the Mountaineers controlled the puck early and often in the first period. Pitt goaltender Kassidy Newman stood strong though, making several high quality saves, and the scoreboard remained zeros until over halfway through the period. Junior forward Francesca Gambino put the Panthers up 1-0 at the 12:42 mark. It turned out to be Pitt’s only lead of the game.
Caroleena Genco tied the game for West Virginia 1-1 with just 38 seconds left in the first period. The Mountaineers picked up in the second where it left off in the first. Just 1:32 into the middle frame, Kylie Crabb put West Virginia ahead, 2-1.
Danica Gynn and Kelra Ohagan each scored in the third, and Genco notched her second of the game with just under three minutes left in the game to add to the West Virginia lead. Goaltender Corinne Brunetto made 30 saves on 31 shots to secure the 5-1 West Virginia win.
Pitt freshman goaltender Kassidy Newman made 26 saves on 31 shots in the loss.
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