PITTSBURGH (June 27, 2026) — The Pittsburgh Riveters completed an undefeated regular season, and they will head into the USL W League Playoffs after a comprehensive 5-0 victory over Steel City FC tonight at rainy F.N.B. Stadium.
Anna Korney, Ellen Molloy, Bella Vozar, Tanum Nelson and Minah Syam each scored a goal for the Riveters (9-0-1), who will host the Central Conference bracket of the playoffs July 3 and July 5.
Riveters goalkeeper Lexi Grundler stopped seven shots on target by Steel City (5-5-0), her most saves in a match as a Riveter to record her fifth clean sheet.
First half
Korney has been a thorn in the side of Steel City in the teams’ meetings, and she nearly did it again after six minutes when she moved deep into the left side of the box that beat the goalkeeper but was cleared off the line by well-positioned Steel City defender Maggie Nesko.
But in the 11th minute, the 16-year-old forward had her third goal in as many career matches against Steel City. Lola Abraham headed a cleared corner kick back into the box, where Gabby Lamparty touched it into the path of Korney to finish from 12 yards away.
Steel City goalkeeper Payton O’Malley came up with possibly the best of her five saves midway through the half when she leaped to push a long-range drive by Molloy around the post.
The half appeared to be headed to a 1-0 score, but the Riveters struck again in stoppage time. Abraham unlocked the defense with a perfectly-weighted diagonal ball into the path of Molloy, who was able to finish around the onrushing O’Malley for her third goal of the season.
Second half
The Riveters started how they finished the first half by scoring another goal just three minutes after the break.
The team worked the ball through the box from the left, first finding the feet of Makenna Dominguez, who passed up a shot from in front of goal to make one more pass wide to Vozar arriving on the right for the finish. It was the first Riveters goal for Vozar, the right back and only player to have played in every match for the team over two seasons.
In the 65th minute, Nelson was on the scoresheet as the recipient of Abraham’s second assist of the night. Abraham slipped the pass between the center backs for Nelson to score her third goal of the season and club-leading ninth goal overall.
Seven minutes later, the scoring ended when Dominguez sent a pass through to Syam, who patiently waited for an opening to shoot around the goalkeeper for her first of the season.
Hitachi Man of the Match
Lola Abraham finished with two assists on the night — not to mention her contribution to keep the ball in a dangerous area on the opener — and her two-way play transitioned the Riveters into attack mode throughout. She finishes the regular season with six assists, already the team’s season and career records.
What’s next?
The Riveters will play in the Central Conference Semifinals on Friday, July 3 at 7 p.m. at F.N.B. Stadium. Matchups will be confirmed once all matches are completed, but the Riveters’ most likely opponent appears to be Valley Division champion Racing Louisville FC (6-1-2), the W League side operated by the namesake professional club out of the National Women’s Soccer League.
Riveters SC lineup (4-3-3) — Lexi Grundler; Brielle LaBerge, Gabby Lamparty, Piper Coffield (Taylor Green 63’), Bella Vozar; Lola Abraham (Lilly Bane 70’), Emmę Butera (Kate Friday 70’), Ellen Molloy (Fiona Mahan 63’); Sabrina Bryan (Makenna Dominguez 46’), Alexis Tylenda (Tanum Nelson 46’), Anna Korney (Minah Syam 70’)
Steel City FC lineup (4-3-3) — Payton O’Malley; Maggie Nesko (Kaitlyn McGuire 68’), Coco Dorfman, Emily Graeca, Marissa Salisbury; Samantha Miller, Margherita Memoli (Elin Bash 60’), Kayla Leseck; Briana Ross (Averie Bierker 60’), Jaclyn Ketter (Skylar Leseck 68’), Abigail Stager
Scoring summary
PIT — Anna Korney 11’ (Gabby Lamparty)
PIT — Ellen Molloy 45+1’ (Lola Abraham)
PIT — Bella Vozar 48’ (Makenna Dominguez)
PIT — Tanum Nelson 65’ (Lola Abraham)
PIT — Minah Syam 72’ (Makenna Dominguez)
Discipline summary
None
