Sept. 5, 2006
SC-Citadel Box Score in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina midfielder Erin Sullivan tied a school record for goals in a game as she recorded a hat trick (three goals) as the USC women’s soccer team defeated The Citadel 4-0 on Tuesday evening at Stone Stadium. The win extends Carolina’s win streak to three games and improves the team’s record to 3-2 on the year with The Citadel’s record now 0-4 this season.
“Erin played great in the midfield today and was excellent in her first-time finishing on the offensive end,” said USC head coach Shelley Smith. “We were able to control a majority of the play and kept the pressure on their end for most of the match. We played as a team the entire match and it showed as we stayed together as a unit.”
Although Sullivan scored three of the four goals on the evening, she was not the first USC player to put in a goal in Tuesday night’s match. Gamecock sophomore forward Felicia Schroeder got things started for Carolina at 17:14 as a giveaway by Bulldog defender Aly Woodhead, allowed for Schroeder to move in on an open net and put a shot into the goal for a 1-0 USC lead. The goal for Schroeder was her third of the season. Carolina responded just over seven minutes later with Sullivan tallying her first goal of the match. A long diagonal ball played by Ashley Kirk was controlled by Sullivan who knocked a shot from the left side to the far post that connected to increase the USC lead to 2-0.
Sullivan would tally two more goals in the second half for the hat trick and a 4-0 USC advantage. The first goal of the second half came at 57:58 with Sullivan putting in a rebound from inside the six-yard box. Sophomore forward Mary Worthen was credited with an assist on the play. Sullivan’s third goal would come just inside of four minutes at 61:19 when she gained possession of a pass from Schroeder and knocked in a shot from inside the “18” to the right corner that went for her third of the match.
The three-goal match for Sullivan marked the fourth time in USC history that a women’s soccer player has recorded the feat. The last player to record three goals in a match was Jennie Ondo vs. Appalachian State on Sept. 11, 1996. Sullivan last scored on Aug. 29, 2005 with a game-winning goal vs. Furman.
USC finished with a 25-0 shot advantage and recorded the first shutout of the year. Junior goalkeeper Laura Armstrong played the first 63:16 with junior keeper Lindsay Thorstenson finishing the last 26:44 of the match. Citadel goalkeeper Brit Bunnell made five saves with keeper Emily Green also making four saves for the Bulldogs.
“The Citadel challenged us the entire night and competed,” said Coach Smith. “They came out, didn’t sit in the “18” and played us the entire match.”
South Carolina next heads up to Furman University (Greenville, S.C.) for the Carolinas’ Cup beginning on Saturday, Sept. 9 at 12:30 pm with a match vs. Charlotte. The Gamecocks will also face the host Lady Paladins on Monday, Sept. 11 at 7:30 pm. The fourth team competing in the second annual Carolinas’ Cup is Clemson.
