East Carolina University
UCF
No. 23 UCF Tops ECU, 5-3
September 24, 2010 | Soccer
Sept. 24, 2010
ORLANDO, Fla. - Junior Jessica Woodward netted her third goal of the season and assisted on two others but that wasn't enough as East Carolina dropped its first Conference USA opening game in three years 5-3 to No. 23 UCF Friday night. With the loss the Pirates drop to 5-4 on the season and fall to 0-1 in Conference USA action, while the Knights improve to 6-2-1 and 1-0.
Trailing 2-0 at the intermission, the Pirates reeled off three goals to knot the game at 3-3 with 10 minutes remaining in the match. But the Knights answered with goals from Kristina Trujic (80:42) and Katie Jackson (81:58) in a two-minute span to take a 5-3 advantage and walk away with the win.
"The conditions were really tough tonight with the hard rain and I thought that changed the way both teams approached the game," said Head Coach Rob Donnenwirth. "UCF played very well in the first half and we gifted them a couple of goals with our miscommunication.
"I was proud of the way we fought back to tie the game at two, but then we gave up a quick goal", Donnenwirth added. "Then we tied the game at three a few minutes later, before giving up two more quick scores. Our set pieces were dangerous and Jessica [Woodward] had played a great game. We have to regroup and get ready to play another tough opponent on the road in Southern Miss on Sunday."
Kim Newsome put UCF up 1-0 in the 14th minute when she received a cross from Nicolette Radovcic for an easy goal, her fourth goal of the season.
Tishia Jewell, who was also credited with an assist on Newsome's goal, scored her fifth goal of the year in the 32nd minute. Amanda Martorana won the ball from Christiane Cordero in the box and sent a touch pass over to Jewell.
ECU finally got on the board in the monsoon conditions in the second half when Chrissy Gratz drilled a shot from 25 yards out that hit the crossbar and fell in behind UCF's keeper Aline Reis cutting the lead to one, 2-1.
Caty Butler knotted the game at two when she scored off a scramble in the box from a Kimmy Cummings corner kick. Jessica Woodward was also credited with an assist, her second of the match.
UCF answered ECU's equalizer with a goal just 50 seconds later on a one-timer from Katie Bolinsky.
Woodward tied the game at three with her third goal of the year when she headed a corner kick to the far post on a perfect placement from Amanda Malkiewicz, her team-leading fourth assist.
Reis picked up her sixth win in goal after recording just one save, while Cordero suffered the loss logging two saves.
ECU was outshot on the night 24-7, marking the first time since Oct. 25, 2009 (Memphis) that an opponent took 20-plus shots against the Pirates.
ECU held the advantage in corner's 7-4.
The Pirates will be back on the pitch Sunday afternoon when they square-off against Southern Miss with a 2 p.m. (EST) start scheduled.
