CHESWICK, PA __ The FC Buffalo Women knocked off the Pittsburgh Hotspurs on Saturday by a score of 4-1 at Founders Field, laying claim to a second-straight division title in United Women’s Soccer and sealing a playoff spot.
The win clinched the UWS Penn-NY Division title for the Wolves with a record of 7-1-2 (23 pts), one year after finishing first in the UWS East Division during the club’s inaugural women’s season.
Grand Island native and University of Nebraska commit Ella Rudney had two goals and an assist in her FC Buffalo debut, the 16-year-old setting up club captain Carissima Cutrona’s team-leading seventh goal of the season. Hannah Callaghan also scored for FCB, while University at Buffalo teammate Payton Robertson recorded an assist. Jessica Jones (Canisius College) made several saves in the win.
The scoring started early, but it was Pittsburgh who took a lead through Sydney Patrick five minutes in to put the home side ahead before the Wolves would take control.
Rudney contributed two goals and one assist in her team debut with a gorgeous diagonal helper from Robertson, while Cutrona added another one to put FCB in front. A smooth finish inside the box from Hannah Callaghan capped the scoring for FC Buffalo en route to the division crown.
Rudney made a statement in her first match as part of the Wolves. Her second goal was an Olimpico goal directly from a corner kick to make the score 3-1 for the Wolves. The fourth FC Buffalo goal came from a scramble in front of goal which saw Hannah Callaghan guide the ball smoothly across the goal line for the final strike from the visitors.
The FC Buffalo Women are awaiting their playoff opponent following the win in Cheswick. As soon as the information is made available, details will be posted across the club’s various social media channels and FCBuffalo.org. The FC Buffalo men will wrap their season on July 15th at home against the playoff-bound Cleveland SC.
