Box Score

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The Florida Gulf Coast University Women’s soccer team (0-2) fell to Miami (1-1) Tuesday night at Cobb Stadium by a score of 3-0. Miami scored twice off of set pieces in a 3-0 victory in head coach Jim Blankenship’s first meeting against Miami since he coached there from 1998-2002.

This was Head Coach Jim Blankenship’s first meeting with Miami since he coached them from 1998-2002. While at Miami, Blankenship led the Hurricanes to the conference tournament in just their second year of competition, received an NCAA tournament bid in his fourth year and led the Hurricanes to as high as No. 14 in the national rankings.

“It was great to face a team with a lot of experience,” said head coach Jim Blankenship. “I feel we played better here than we did at UCF but we weren’t able to keep them out of the net. We just need to stay focused and keep working hard.”

The Hurricanes struck first but Stephanie Powers (Seffner, Fla.) was there to record her first save of the night. Hurricanes midfielder Paulelett Ricks-Chambers sent a shot from the top of the box but Powers was there to make the sliding save.

With just over 19 minutes remaining in the first half, Hurricanes forward Julianne Rickers was left with an open net after a deflected ball got past Powers. Rickers shot at the open net went left to keep the game tied at 0-0.

In the 35th minute, the Hurricanes put one in the back of the net. Lauren Singer took the corner for the Hurricanes. Singer’s corner found Barbara Blocker who headed the pass over Powers hands for the goal.

The Eagles best scoring opportunity came in the 41st minute. Senior midfielder Amber McCall (Fort Myers, Fla.) sent a pass 10-yards out from the top of the box out to the right wing that found Caytlan MacKenzie (Calgary, Alberta Canada), MacKenzie’s shot missed just inches wide of the left post.

Going into the half, MacKenzie and Jessica Swartzentruber (Sarasota, Fla.) combined for the Eagles three shots. Katherine Correllus (Merritt Island, Fla.) came up with two defensive stops, as Powers recorded one save. The Hurricanes went into the half with six shots, only two on goal.

Just minutes into the second half, the Eagles created a great opportunity. MacKenzie sent a cross from the right wing that deflected off Hurricanes goalkeeper Vikki Alonso. The loose ball was handled by a Hurricane defender in the middle of the box and the ball was cleared to end the Eagles threat.

The Eagles would add another shot in the 57th minute. MacKenzie found Amber McCall 18-yards out from the right post. Amber McCall’s shot was saved by Hurricane goalkeeper Vikki Alonzo.

MacKenzie added another Eagle shot in the 59th minute before the Hurricanes scored their second goal of the night. In the 62nd minute, Hurricane midfielder Jessica Wyble took the free kick 10-yards out from the top of the box. Wyble’s pass found Brittney Steinbruch, Steinbruch headed the pass that found its way past Powers to put the Hurricanes up 2-0.

The Hurricanes quickly added another goal in the 71st minute. Beverly Goebel drew Powers out to the top of the box and Goebel was able punch the ball over Powers head to put the Hurricanes up 3-0.

The Eagles last chance to put one in the net came with three minutes remaining in the match. Swartzenturber took a shot from the top of the box that went just wide of the left post.

In the match, the Eagles tallied eight shots, one shot on goal. Powers finished the night with two saves. The Hurricanes recorded 13 shots, five on goal and took six corners.

The Eagles look for their first win of the 2009 season as they travel to Miami, Fla. to face FIU on Aug. 30 at 6:00 P.M.