Nigeria Players Abroad
Deborah Abiodun’s brace propels University of Pittsburgh over Syracuse
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
Nigeria midfielder Deborah Abiodun played a pivotal role in the University of Pittsburgh’s 3-0 victory over Syracuse last weekend, scoring two goals to lead her side to a decisive win.
It took until the 68th minute for Abiodun to test Syracuse’s goalkeeper, but she soon made her mark. In the 76th minute, the former Rivers Angels player opened the scoring with a well-timed header off a corner kick from Sarah Schulansky.
Just five minutes later, Abiodun doubled Pittsburgh’s lead with a determined effort, scrambling for the ball before firing it into the upper right corner of the net. The goals secured her a brace and sealed the win for Randy Waldrum’s team.
Schulansky, who had already set up Abiodun’s first goal, made history by assisting on the third goal in the 86th minute. The assist to Ellie Coffield marked Schulansky as the all-time leader in single-season assists for Pittsburgh, with 15 to her name.
The win marked back-to-back victories for the Panthers, who are currently in eighth place in the competitive 17-team Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Teams such as Duke, North Carolina, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Stanford, California, and Florida State are currently ahead of them in the standings.
Abiodun’s stellar performance adds to her growing reputation in the NCAA and brings additional hope for Pittsburgh’s postseason aspirations.
