Spitler's Two Goals Guide East Carolina To 200th Win

Sunday, August 28

Cullowhee, NC

1:00 P.M.

East Carolina University

2-2

Western Carolina

1-3

East Carolina

Western Carolina

August 28, 2016 | Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Senior striker Lana Spitler recorded her third-career multi-goal game, as the East Carolina women's soccer team claimed a convincing 4-0 road win at Western Carolina on Sunday afternoon. The victory was ECU's 200th in program history.

Spitler's goals were her second and third of the season, while sophomore Madeleine Watson and freshman Megan Conte scored their first-career goals. Sophomore forward Courtney Cash recorded the first two assists of her career, while redshirt freshman goalkeeper Caroline Jeffers had to make just one save to earn her first-career shutout.

Spitler and Cash led the Pirates with three shots on goal apiece, while freshman midfielder Marianna Shurina's two shots were both on-goal. ECU outshot the Catamounts, 12-4, overall and 11-1 in shots on goal.

Lightning strikes pushed the 1 p.m., scheduled start time back 35 minutes, marking the third time in ECU's four matches this season that has occurred. Kickoff in the Pirates' season opener against William & Mary was delayed 25 minutes, before enduring a two-hour and eight-minute suspension in action prior to last Sunday's match at Towson.

HEAD COACH ROB DONNENWIRTH QUOTE
"Our forwards were really dangerous today. Lana (Spitler) had two great finishes and Courtney (Cash) caused some havoc with her 1-v-1 ability. It was also great to get some quality minutes for our bench."

THE GOALS
Ninth Minute: After three shots on goal and a pair of corner kicks in the first seven minutes, the Pirates kept offensive pressure on the Catamounts' back line before Cash touched a perfect pass to Spitler, who beat the goalkeeper with her second goal of the season to give the purple and gold an early 1-0 lead.

33rd Minute: ECU did not let up and began making substitutions in the 25th minute. That was when Watson entered the match and used her fresh legs to keep the momentum in the Pirates' favor before getting a great look eight minutes later to fire shot into the back of the net to push East Carolina's advantage to 2-0.

47th Minute: Just two minutes into the second half, Spitler positioned herself deep in Catamount territory, received a pass from Cash and weaved her way through the defense to earn a one-on-one chance with the goalkeeper. The Montoursville, Pa., native made a move and slipped a shot to the right of the keeper to make the score 3-0 in favor of the Pirates.

63rd Minute: The Pirates were relentless in their control of possession and worked their way into the heart of Western Carolina's defense countless times. Conte collected the ball approximately 20 yards away from the opposing goal before settling and turning on a shot from 15 yards away that went high and into the back of the net to put ECU on the scoreboard for the fourth time.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
-The winningest coach in program history, Rob Donnenwirth has led the Pirates to 168 of their 200 victories. He has 230 total in his 22 total years as a collegiate head coach.
-The last time ECU scored four or more goals in a match was Sept. 1, 2014 at Francis Marion with six. Before that, the Pirates scored four at Old Dominion on Aug. 21, 2011.
-ECU's margin of victory (4) was the largest in its head-to-head series with Western Carolina. The purple and gold improved to 8-1 all-time against the Catamounts and has won each of the last seven matchups.
-East Carolina has now scored first in three of its first four matches this season.
-Spitler also scored twice in the same game at UNC Greensboro (9/6/15) and at home against Temple (9/28/14).
-Cash's assist on Spitler's goal in the ninth minute was the first of her career.
-Watson's goal in the 33rd minute was the first of her career.
-Conte's goal in the 67th minute was the first of her career.

UP NEXT
East Carolina (2-2) will return home to host its second CAA opponent of the year when James Madison comes to town on Friday, Sept. 2. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m., at Johnson Stadium.