INDIANA TOWNSHIP, Pa. (June 11, 2025) — The Pittsburgh Riveters came home with all three points from their shortest road trip of the season, with goals by Anna Korney, Olivia Damico and Sabrina Bryan pushing the team to a 3-1 win at Steel City FC tonight at Founders Field.
Korney, a 15-year-old from DuBois, Pa., was making her first appearance for the Riveters (4-1-2), and her goal just 21 minutes into the match quickly made her the youngest scorer in the team’s short history.
Margherita Memoli scored for Steel City (2-1-2) to cut the lead to 2-1, but the Riveters held on to take control of first place in the USL W League’s Great Forest Division.
First half
Steel City came out as the aggressor with a packed crowd around their home park, and they had two early chances on goal that missed just wide by Emily Cooper and Margaret Wilde.
The Riveters began to work into the match after the first 15 minutes, but Korney created the first goal from almost nothing at the 21-minute mark. The young forward won the ball from the Steel City defense on the left side and took a quick touch to cut inside. She released a curling shot from outside the box that skimmed the underside of the crossbar and settled into the bottom of the net.
The goal shifted the Riveters into high gear, and in the 36th minute the lead was doubled. Abi Hugh took a short corner kick and received the ball back, taking a touch before driving a head-height cross through the box. Damico timed her jump perfectly, and she turned a header back inside the near post to double the lead with her third goal of the season.
Second half
Early after the break, Steel City’s Audrey Bianco made an impressive run to weave through the defense and into the box, nearly reaching the 6-yard box on the left side. She couldn’t find a teammate, and eventually Piper Coffield bumped Cooper off the ball fairly and cleared the danger.
The Riveters also had their attacking moments but without success hitting the target, as chances for Tanum Nelson and Korney missed the frame.
Steel City began to press forward more in the final 15 minutes, and from a free kick in the 86th minute, the hosts got on the board. Lucy Ream delivered the kick from wide on the left, and Memoli was the first player up to it, redirecting a header past Riveters goalkeeper Pauline Nelles to make it 2-1.
A few nervous moments for the Riveters ended in the first minute of stoppage time, when Ava Boyd slipped a ball behind the defense with Bryan charging forward. Hesitation between Steel City players allowed Bryan to get on the ball cleanly, and she circled the goalkeeper to finish into an open net.
Modelo Player of the Match
Abi Hugh was a tireless worker moving back to the wing back position she played to begin the year after a pair of matches tucked into the center of the formation. Her ability to get forward helped keep Steel City on its heels, and her delivery to assist Damico on the second goal was inch-perfect.
What’s next?
The Riveters return home to face Erie Sports Center at 6 p.m. Sunday, June 15 at Highmark Stadium. Erie (0-3-3) held the Riveters to a 1-1 draw last week in Erie, but they face a busy weekend with a home match against FC Buffalo the day before.
Riveters SC lineup (4-3-3) — Pauline Nelles; Abi Hugh (Kate Friday 80’), Natalia DiSora, Piper Coffield, Bella Vozar; Annamarie Williams (Robin Reilly 80’), Jayden Sharpless (Kelsey Salopek 60’), Tanum Nelson (Minah Syam 71); Anna Korney (Ava Boyd 80’), Kennedy Neighbors (Sabrina Bryan 60’), Olivia Damico (Gina Proviano 71’)
Steel City FC lineup (4-3-3) — Payton O’Malley; Regan Reilly (Bri Ross 66’), Lucy Ream, Emily Graeca, Coco Dorfman (Saveria Ulizzi 61’); Margherita Memoli, Margaret Wilde (Maya Matesa 84’), Kayla Leseck; Emily Cooper, Audrey Bianco (Helena Locatelli 61’), Marissa Salisbury
Scoring summary
PIT — Anna Korney 21’
PIT — Olivia Damico 36’ (Abi Hugh)
STC — Margherita Memoli 86’ (Lucy Ream)
PIT — Sabrina Bryan 90+1’ (Ava Boyd)
Discipline summary
PIT — Annamarie Williams 79’ (caution – tactical foul)
PIT — Bella Vozar 88’ (caution – reckless foul)
