East Carolina University
Southern Miss
Pirates Blank Southern Miss, 2-0
October 03, 2008 | Soccer
Oct. 3, 2008
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The East Carolina soccer team continued its strong start to C-USA play on Friday evening, shutting out Southern Miss 2-0 at the Southern Miss Soccer Complex. The Pirates improve to 8-3-0 overall and 3-0-0 in conference play, while the Golden Eagles fall to 5-5-2 on the season and 1-2-0 in C-USA. The victory marks the first time that ECU has won its first three C-USA contests, all on the road. Additionally, the Pirates keep control of the conference race, staying in first place with nine points.
Southern Miss put forth the first two chances of the contest, but senior keeper Amber Campbell came up with a save and the other shot was blocked. East Carolina produced two opportunities of its own in the middle of the stanza, shooting off target both times. Pressuring late in the half, the Golden Eagles shot three times in the span of three minutes but Campbell saved one while the others were both wide.
Junior Alexis Foltz came through in the 43rd minute, taking a pass from freshman Kimmy Cummings and putting it into the back of the net to give the Pirates a 1-0 advantage at halftime. Southern Miss had a slight lead in shots in the first interval, 6-5 while ECU committed three fouls as compared to one for the home team.
After the Pirates threatened the Golden Eagle net twice to begin the second half, forcing two saves from Holly Cox, senior Blair Heffner scored in her second straight game, this time in the 58th minute to give East Carolina the 2-0 lead. Freshman Jessica Woodward picked up the assist on the play. Southern Miss tried to jumpstart its offense late in the contest, but it came up short thanks in large part to three saves from Campbell in the last 10 minutes.
Campbell turned in her sixth shutout of the season and third in C-USA play. The reigning C-USA Defensive Player-of-the-Week made five saves and is just 26 behind Amy Horton for the ECU career lead.
"I thought we moved the ball well in the first half and Alexis finished a great cross from Kimmy," head coach Rob Donnenwirth explained. "Our defensive pressure was very good in the second half and it helped us create our second goal. "
The Pirates complete their four-game C-USA road swing on Sunday when they travel to Orlando, Fla. to face off against UCF, which is ranked No. 8 in this week's Soccer Buzz Southeast Region poll. The contest is scheduled for 1 p.m. inside the UCF Soccer Complex.
