Soccer Opens Home C-USA Schedule This Weekend
10/1/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Oct. 1, 2008
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The Golden Eagle soccer team will return to the Southern Miss Soccer Complex this weekend as they host East Carolina and Marshall for the Conference-USA home opener.
The Golden Eagles (5-4-2. 1-1-0 C-USA) traveled last weekend to Memphis and UAB to earn the weekend split, thanks to Samantha Polly's game winning goal in overtime at UAB Sunday afternoon.
After one weekend of conference play East Carolina remains the only 2-0 team in C-USA, Houston is the only team that started the conference season 0-2. The other 10 teams, including Southern Miss, are sitting at 1-1 in C-USA play.
Through the teams first 10 games senior Sarah McFadden leads the Golden Eagles in points with eight on three goals and two assist this season, McFadden also leads the Conference in shots with 58 on the season.
Senior transfer Obafemi Alao has tallied three goals on the season and Renee Hrapmann, Mallory Barnes and Samantha Polley each have a goal as well.
In the nets, redshirt junior Holly Cox has recorded 40 saves while posting three shutouts on the season. She is allowing 0.79 goals against per game and has a save percentage of .833, which are both second in the conference.
East Carolina comes into Fridays match ranked 13th in the Southeastern Region by Soccerbuzz after posting shutouts in both C-USA games this past weekend. The ranking is the highest for the Pirates (7-3-0, 2-0-0 C-USA) since 1999.
The Pirates will bring in a strong defense with seniors Madison Keller (Midfielder) and Amber Campbell (Goalkeeper) having both been recognized by Conference USA as Defensive Players-of-the-Week. Kickoff is set for 4:00 p.m. Friday afternoon.
Marshall will visit Hattiesburg for a Sunday afternoon contest set to begin at 1:00 p.m. The Herd (3-3-4, 1-1-0 C-USA) will be led by sophomore Erica Duncan, who leads C-USA with six goals already this season, and freshman Angela DeSumma, who leads C-USA with six assist on the season.
At halftime during Sunday's match Southern Miss will present the annual "Spirit of Blake Nettles Award" given to a deserving individual serving the Hattiesburg Youth Soccer Association with the same qualities of patience, caring, and integrity as Blake did for many years.
Any child from HYSA wearing their jersey will gain free admission to both matches this weekend.
-southernmiss.com-