East Carolina University
SMU
Pirate Soccer Suffers 2-1 Setback at SMU
September 27, 2015 | Soccer
DALLAS - The East Carolina women's soccer team surrendered a go-ahead goal with 27 seconds remaining in regulation as SMU escaped with a 2-1 victory in American Athletic Conference action Sunday afternoon at Westcott Field.
Vanessa Valadez scored both goals for SMU (4-4-3, 1-0-1 AAC), while junior defender Caitlin Hite scored East Carolina's (6-5-1, 1-1-0 AAC) lone goal.
"I thought we fought our way back into the game after a poor start," Head Coach Rob Donnenwirth said. "We had some promising attacks that never materialized into a shot and we need to get better at that."
Winners in five of its last six matches entering Sunday's contest, ECU got on the attack early when junior striker Lana Spitler took the team's first shot of the game seven minutes in, but it was saved by the Mustangs' goalkeeper Shannon Moroney.
SMU struck first just over 13 minutes into the match by drawing a foul inside ECU's goal box to earn a penalty kick, the third allowed by the Pirates this season. Valadez stepped to the line and blasted the shot past senior goalkeeper Saundra Baron to give the Ponies a 1-0 lead.
Just several seconds into the 27th minute, East Carolina drew a foul approximately 25 yards away from the opposing goal, offering a set -piece opportunity within striking distance. Hite took the free kick and buried the attempt into the back of the net to tie the match, 1-1.
The goal was Hite's first of the season and second of her career. Her first tally came exactly 50 games prior to Sunday's score on Sept. 2, 2013 in a 2-1 overtime win against Western Carolina - the fourth game of her collegiate career.
The scoreboard did not change for the remainder of the first 45 minutes of action before both teams went to the respective locker rooms at halftime. The Mustangs held a 9-5 advantage in total shots and a 4-1 edge in corner kick chances in the period.
The majority of the second half elapsed with relatively little drama by either side's offensive attack until the final minute of regulation. As the match appeared destined for overtime, SMU put together one final push down the field, where Valadez received an open look at the ECU goal from 10 yards out a finished a shot out of the reach of Baron to give the Ponies a 2-1 victory.
East Carolina will host UCF in its first conference home match on Thursday, Oct. 1. Opening kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m., at Johnson Soccer Stadium.
