East Carolina Takes On Memphis Sunday
October 11, 2014 | Soccer
ECU Game Notes 
| Memphis Notes | American Conference Notes
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GREENVILLE, N.C. - Coming off a 1-0 road victory at Tulsa, the East Carolina women's soccer team begin its trek back home after a stop in Tennessee to take on Memphis in its second American Athletic Conference road match of the season on Sunday. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.
With the 1-0 victory over the Golden Hurricane on Thursday night, the Pirates improved to 5-0-1 in away matches in 2014 and have not allowed a single goal during that span. They own a 7-0-2 record in their last nine road matches, with their last defeat in a true road contest coming at UAB on Oct. 6, 2013.
SCOUTING MEMPHIS
The Tigers enter Sunday's match with a 5-5-4 overall record and a 2-1-2 mark in conference play. They recently defeated Cincinnati, 3-1, on Thursday evening. Valerie Sanderson is tied for second in The American with eight goals this season, while her 17 total points rank fourth. Nugene Nugent and Kaitlyn Atkins rank third and fourth in the league with six and five assists, respectively, and goalkeeper Maryse Bard-Martel stands fourth with 3.93 saves per game.
SERIES HISTORY
East Carolina has never defeated Memphis, which owns an 11-0-2 overall mark against the Pirates. The two teams last met as members of Conference USA on Sept. 28, 2012, where the Tigers earned a 2-0 league victory.
SEASON OF SHUTOUTS
ECU has posted nine shutouts so far in 2014, which ranks tied for third in program history with the 2008 squad. Only the 2012 (10) and 2007 (11) teams held more opponents scoreless in a single season.
SPITLER'S SCORING SPREE
Sophomore striker Lana Spitler has scored four goals in East Carolina's first four American Athletic Conference matches including two tallies against Temple on Sept. 28. The two scores marked her first-career multi-goal game and she was chosen as the league's Offensive Player-of-the-Week.
LENNS GETS THE CALL
Senior and backup goalkeeper Erika Lenns earned her first-career start and posted a four-save shutout versus Campbell on Sept. 21. She followed that up with a career-high seven saves against UConn on Sept. 25, before shutting out Temple on Sept. 28. Her efforts were honored when she was named the American Athletic Conference Goalkeeper-of-the-Week on Sept. 29. The Raleigh native is 3-2 as the starter since filling in for injured Saundra Baron and has three shutouts, with the most recent one coming in a 1-0 road victory at Tulsa on Oct. 9.
ROAD BLOCKING
East Carolina recorded a five-match winning streak, including four-straight on the road at Western Carolina (8/24), George Mason (8/29), Francis Marion (9/1) and UNC Greensboro 9/12). The last time the Pirates won five-straight games via shutout was in 1999.
BARON'S BARREN NET
Redshirt junior goalkeeper Saundra Baron posted five-straight shutouts, at Western Carolina (8/24), at George Mason (8/29), at Francis Marion (9/1), home versus Davidson (9/5) and at UNC Greensboro (9/12). She is the first ECU goalkeeper since Amber Campbell in 2007 to accomplish the feat and held opponents scoreless for a span of 505 minutes and 20 seconds. She has six total shutouts so far this season.
HERRING COMES UP HUGE
Senior midfielder Lexi Herring intercepted a goal kick in the 69th minute and beat the goalkeeper for her first-career game-winning goal at UNC Greensboro (9/12). She later notched her first-career assist on a go-ahead goal versus UConn (9/25).
SO FARY, SO GOOD
Freshman striker Brittany Fary has started each of the team's first five matches in 2014. The Centreville, Va., native scored her first-career goal in the 6-0 win at Francis Marion on Sept. 1, earning her American Athletic Conference Rookie-of-the-Week honors.
SPITLER SISTERS STRIKE
Senior Brianna Spitler and sister Lana scored both goals in the Pirates' 2-0 win over Davidson (9/5). Lana's goal was the third of her career and first game-winner. It also marked the first time Lana scored in back-to-back games.
