Wednesday, September 29, 2004
Contact: Stan Cole

East Carolina Defeats Campbell 5-2

BUIES CREEK, N.C. -- East Carolina capitalized on Campbell defensive mistakes and claimed a 5-2 men's soccer victory over the Fighting Camels Wednesday night at the Eakes Athletic Complex.

The Pirates (4-5-0) won their fifth-straight match in the series vs. the Camels and scored the most goals by an ECU team in the series, which dates to the 1965 season. Campbell, which holds a 21-7-1 edge all-time vs. East Carolina, had never allowed more than four goals to the Pirates.

Wednesday night, the Camels (0-6-1) took the lead in the 19th minute. Freshman Willy Guadarrama scored the first of his two goals on the night on a left-footed shot from about 20 yards. East Carolina, however, struck five times before Guadarrama's 90th minute penalty brought Campbell within 5-2.

The contest marked the second-straight match where Campbell scored first, but was unable to hold the lead. The Camels led Georgia State 1-0 before surrendering four unanswered goals last Saturday in Atlanta.

Just 3:30 after Guadarrama's goal, East Carolina equalized. Reed Avren drove a low corner across the ground to the top of the box, where Matt Kowaleski's shot beat Camel keeper Brandon Kirksey in the 23rd minute for his second goal of the year.

With 5:19 remaining in the opening period, East Carolina jumped in front. Campbell failed to clear a corner kick and Chris Mobley drove a 20-yard shot into the upper right side of Kirksey's net for his first goal of the season.

Three Campbell defensive miscues resulted in three Pirate goals in the first 15:16 of the second period. Campbell turned the ball over in its end and Michael Logan scored his third goal of the year when he broke free on Kirksey at the 46:05 mark.

Just 4:44 later, J.W. Gallagher broke in on Kirksey after an errant Camel pass and pushed the Pirates to a 4-1 advantage. Gallagher netted his second goal of the night and fourth of the year when he knocked in Ryan Bostian's rebound at 60:16.

East Carolina held a 12-9 edge in shots. Brian Pope made two saves in the ECU nets, while Kirksey had three stops for the Camels.

Campbell returns to action Saturday (5:00 p.m.) at home vs. Elon. [ Box Score ]