Aug. 26, 2005
Columbia, S.C. – Jessi Swaim scored two goals and M.A. Foster and Courtney Cobbs each added a goal and two assists as the South Carolina women’s soccer team opened the 2005 season with a 7-0 win over Mercer at Stone Stadium on Friday night. The win moves USC to 1-0 on the season while the loss drops the Bears to 0-1 on the year. The win was the largest margin of victory by USC since a 12-0 victory over South Carolina State on Sept. 19, 2001 and the most goals USC has defeated a team by in a season opener.
“I felt that we did a great job putting our chances away and I’m very happy that we put the ball in the back of the net that many times,” said USC head coach Shelley Smith. “We worked hard over the past year in finishing our chances, creating goal opportunities and being more aggressive on our attack and it was nice to see our team put it together on the field tonight.”
Carolina wasted no time getting on the scoreboard as Foster scored the first goal of the season into the third minute of play off a cross from Courtney Cobbs and an assist from Swaim. Foster would return the favor with Cobbs at 15:43 this time setting up Swaim who scored off on a one-timer on a touch pass inside the six and to the left corner of the goal.
“We worked on our offense a lot in practice and we carried a lot of what we learned into the match,” said junior Jessi Swaim. “It felt real good to score a couple goals tonight.”
USC increased its lead to 3-0 in the with freshman Monica Hogan scoring her first career goal off the corner kick by Ashley Kirk and a pass from teammate Annie Galloway. Freshman Felicia Schroeder also scored her first goal of her career right before the end of the first half as Darcel Mollon played a cross inside the box to Schroeder who put away the chance at 42:22.
USC was able to take advantage of some miscommunication in the Bear defense early into the second half as Kirk scored on a direct kick from 40 yards out. The offense continued to stretch the Bears defense then at 54:35 as Swaim scored her second goal of the night off a rebound from a shot by Foster. Courtney Cobbs finished the scoring for Carolina at 85:02.
“They have taken a lot that we have worked on and applied it,” said Smith. “That’s every coach’s desire and dream and to have a coachable group that works hard, it was nice to see them show it tonight.”
Sophomore goalkeeper Lindsay Thorstenson played the first 68:44 and earned a win with three saves on the night. Sophomore Laura Armstrong played the final 21 minutes in goal. USC finished the match with a 22-3 shot advantage.
Carolina returns to action on Monday night at 7 p.m. hosting Furman with live stats and live audio available at uscsports.com
