East Carolina University
USF
East Carolina Soccer Season Ends In American Conference Semifinals
November 07, 2014 | Soccer
TAMPA, Fla. - The East Carolina women's soccer team saw its pursuit of the program's first conference crown come to an end with a 3-0 defeat to USF on its home field in the semifinals of the 2014 American Athletic Conference Championship Friday night at Corbett Stadium.
In her final collegiate match, senior goalkeeper Erika Lenns made a career-high nine saves, while sophomore Lana Spitler and freshman Danielle Eule led the Pirates with two shots apiece.
Both sides battled each other's respective midfields for the early portion of the match, but USF (13-6-1) quickly began to put a clamp on possession and earned a corner kick in the 17th minute. The Bulls placed two players in the corner on the attempt, as Olivia Chance gently tapped the ball into play before Cristina Ferral sent the cross in. Jackie Simpson put her head on the ball in a crowd of defenders and redirected the service into the right corner of the net to make the score 1-0.
The Bulls had two more attempts shortly after the strike, while the Pirates earned a golden opportunity in the final two minutes of the period on a ball pushed ahead to midfielder Lexi Herring in USF's goal box, but it was broken up by the goalkeeper.
USF held an 11-2 advantage in shots and a 3-2 in edge in corner kicks in the first half and took its one-goal lead into the intermission.
The Bulls wasted little time getting their offense working in the second half, as a forward made a run down the left side of the field and into ECU's goal box where she was taken down and drew a penalty kick in the 47th minute. USF executed the free shot and increase the lead to 2-0.
South Florida continued to pressure East Carolina's (12-8-1) back line and midfield in the 60th minute, as Jessica Clark arched a cross from the top left corner of the goal box, over a leaping Lenns and into the right pocket of the net to increase the Bulls' advantage to 3-0.
The Pirates earned a trio of corner kick opportunities with just under 15 minutes remaining, but USF's defense remained stout and cleared all three threats. East Carolina could not capitalize during the final quarter of the match as the Bulls held on for their sixth straight victory.
USF outshot ECU, 24-8, overall despite the Pirates owning a 6-5 advantage in corner kicks.
