Marshall University Athletics
Women's Soccer Hosts No. 21 UCF and Southern Miss
10/1/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Oct. 1, 2009
HUNTINGTON, W.Va.- The Marshall University women's soccer team looks to remain undefeated in Conference USA play as it takes on its first ranked opponent since September 23, 2007 when MU played No. 10 South Carolina. This weekend Marshall (9-1, 2-0 C-USA) will do battle with conference foes, Southern Miss (4-4, 0-2 C-USA) and No. 21 Central Florida (6-3-1, 1-1 C-USA) in the comfort of Sam Hood Field, where the Herd is a perfect 5-0 on the season.
"We're very excited, anytime you're competing on a national stage it's a great atmosphere," said head coach Kevin Long.
MU is off to a 2-0 start in conference play following the first weekend of play and sits atop the C-USA standings. Marshall earned a 2-1 victory against Houston to being the weekend.
Molly Snead (Cincinnati, Ohio) and freshman Sarah Vinson (Amelia, Ohio) each tallied their third goals of the season in Friday night's victory. Snead scored on a breakaway off an Angela DeSumma (Doylestown, Pa.) through ball, to give DeSumma her seventh assist of the season. DeSumma enters the weekend tied 10th nationally in assists per game.
Vinson tallied the game-winning goal against the Cougars, the first of her collegiate career.
The Thundering Herd concluded its weekend with a Sunday matchup with Rice University. Erika Duncan (Easthaven, Scotland) registered her team-leading fourth goal of the year to give the Herd a 1-0 victory against Rice, the programs first ever win against the Owls.
Duncan has scored in three of her last five matches and is currently tied for second on Marshall's all-time scoring list. The game-winner was also her third of the season and the fourth of her career putting her tied for second.
Liz Orton (Ft. Collins, Colo.) registered six saves on the weekend and tallied her seventh shutout of the season on Sunday. Orton has seven shutouts in just nine season matches.
The Herd enters the weekend tied for seventh nationally in shutout percent (0.700) and tied fifth nationally in win-loss-tie percent (0.900).
The Thundering Herd begins its weekend Friday night at 7 p.m. when it faces No. 21 UCF. The Knights have a 4-0 series lead and was victorious over MU last season when they scored four unanswered goals for a 4-0 shutout.
"In any conference game, we're anxious and eager to get on the field and prove ourselves," said Long. "We respect UCF and we look forward to the opportunity to raise our game and execute our style of play."
UCF has been ranked as high as No. 19, and is coming of a split weekend in which the Knights defeated UAB 3-1 and fell to Memphis 1-0. Senior Courtney Whidden (Palm Harbor, Fla.) tallied two goals in the win. Yvonne George (Winter Springs, Fla.) tallied the only other goal of the weekend for the Knights. Goalkeeper Aline Reis combined for nine saves in the two games.
UCF is led by Whidden who has a team-high 13 points and six goals. Whidden is tied for first in C-USA in goals, goals per game and game-winning goals.
Marshall concludes the weekend with a 1 p.m. Sunday matchup with Southern Miss. The Golden Eagles lead the all-time series 3-2, however, the Herd defeated USM 4-0 last season.
Southern Miss was shutout in its first two conference matches of the season. They fell 2-0 to Memphis on Friday and was defeated by UAB 1-0 on Sunday. Goalkeeper Holly Cox (London, England) registered 11 saves in the two games, including seven in the matchup with Memphis.
MU is just two wins away from tying its highest win total (11) since the program's conception in 1998.
GameTracker will be available for both matches this weekend and can be accessed by logging on to the women's soccer schedule.
Both matches this weekend will be broadcasted live on WMUL 88.1 and can be heard online at www.marshall.edu/WMUL then click stream one. Friday's coverage begins at 6:45 p.m. and Sunday's coverage will begin at 12:45 p.m.
