Oct. 3, 2008
ORLANDO, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - Junior Courtney Whidden (Palm Harbor, Fla.) struck for two goals to help the UCF women's soccer team shutout Marshall, 4-0, Friday at the UCF Soccer Complex. The win boosted the Knights' record to 2-1-0 in Conference USA, 7-3-1 overall, as they get set to host first-place East Carolina Sunday at 1 p.m.
"That was a good 90 minutes. We finished well and it was nice to get two first-half goals," said head coach Amanda Cromwell. "It was a great team effort, and it was nice to be able to rest some of our players (late in the match) so we can get an East Carolina team with some fresh legs."
UCF improved to 4-0-0 all-time vs. Marshall (3-4-4, 1-2-0), as the Knights have blanked the Thundering Herd all four times, including by 4-0 scores in each of the last three meetings. On Friday, UCF completed its win with a 24-9 advantage in the shot department and a 5-1 lead in corners.
Whidden's two tallies marked the fourth time in her career she scored twice in a match. The forward now has three goals on the season. Meanwhile, classmate Emily Maynard (Munster, Ind.) registered her first goal in a UCF uniform in the opening half, and sophomore Amanda Martorana (Middleburg, Fla.) also hit the back of the net for her third of the year.
In goal Friday for the Knights, freshman Aline Reis (Campinas, Brazil) started and made one save before giving way to junior Lynzee Lee (Kailspell, Mont.) in the 57th minute. Lee finished with a save as well to enable UCF to post its fifth shutout of 2008.
Most of the play in the first half was near Marshall goalkeeper Liz Orton as the Thundering Herd's defense was peppered with shots to get the match going. At one point the Knights reeled off eight-unanswered shots in the frame. With plenty of offensive momentum, it did not take long for the Black and Gold to sprint out to a 2-0 cushion.
Taking one of UCF's five first-half corner kicks in the 24th minute, junior Becca Thomas (Burlington, Wash.) delivered a cross that was headed away by a Marshall defender. However, it went straight to freshman Stacie Hubbard (Jacksonville, Fla.) who found Whidden waiting in front and she easily put it home for the 1-0 lead.
Just over eight minutes later, the Knights found themselves in a three-on-one situation and took advantage. Taking possession deep towards the goal in the left side of the box, junior Yvonne George (Winter Springs, Fla.) sent a pass behind her to senior Danielle Dos Santos (Campinas, Brazil). Not being greedy, dos Santos put the ball on Maynard's cleats and the midfielder fired her shot just under the crossbar and into the mesh.
Whidden got back on the scoreboard in the 51st minute, putting away a pass from George right in front of net for a 3-0 advantage. Completing the outburst, junior Brianna Schooley (Coral Springs, Fla.) helped set up the fourth goal, placing a pass to the right part of the pitch to Martorana. Facing new keeper Lauren Roberts who came out of the net to defend on the play, Martorana sneaked a shot into the far left corner as the Knights went on to their seventh victory.
UCF will now take on 3-0-0 East Carolina in a pivotal C-USA match-up Sunday at 1 p.m. at the UCF Soccer Complex. Admission is free.
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Postgame Notes
Marshall (3-4-4, 1-2-0) - 0
UCF (7-3-1, 2-1-0) - 4
Goals: UCF Courtney Whidden (2) 24th, UCF Emily Maynard (1) 32nd, UCF Courtney Whidden (3), 51st, UCF Amanda Martorana (3), 77th
-The 24 shots by UCF set a season-high.
-UCF outshot Marshall 10-3 in the first half.
-Stacie Hubbard, Danielle Dos Santos, Yvonne George (two) and Brianna Schooley all added assists vs. the Herd.
-George now has five assists and a team-best nine points this year.
-Becca Thomas and Emily Maynard each recorded four shots, while all three of Amanda Martorana's attempts were on net.
-In UCF's first 10 matches of the year, it did not post more than two goals in a game.