BUIES CREEK, N.C. - Annabelle Gibney's golden goal in the 98th
minute gave Campbell a 1-0 Atlantic Sun women's soccer victory over
East Tennessee State Thursday night at the Eakes Athletic
Complex.
Campbell (8-6, 3-2 A-Sun) could not score in regulation despite a
15-2 edge in shots in the second half. However, the Camels were
rewarded with Gibney's second strike of the year 7:42 into the
first sudden death extra period.
Ashley Wagner began the winning sequence with a throw-in to Gibney,
who then laid the ball off to Wagner. Her service in the box found
Tove Nordlander at the top of the six-yard the box. The Swede
played the ball first-time to McKenzie Porter, who touched it on to
Gibney near the goal line for the winner.
"We have always had great games with ETSU and I have tons of
respect for how difficult their teams are to beat. They showed
that again today, and their keeper was fantastic," said Campbell
head coach Todd Clark. "The goal was the result not only of
intense pressure from our attackers, but also a tremendous series
of passes in the box. Gibbo certainly deserved the goal. For us
to win in such a resounding fashion after only one day of practice
due to a team-wide flu scare, was the thing I which I was most
proud."
Campbell held an 8-1 advantage in shots on goal in the second half,
but was unable to beat ETSU keeper Megan Masch. In the 60th
minute, Masch saved Marisa Muller's free kick, then stopped Olga
Ekblom on the rebound.
In the 64th minute, Masch made a point-blank save on Gibney in the
box. Gibney was set up in the 75th minute when Kaili Terry layed
the ball off to her in the box, but Masch dove to her left to tip
the ball away; and Terry missed wide on the rebound.
Marisa Muller hit the cross bar on a 25-yard shot in the 87th
minute, and the rebound fell to Hanna Salmen in the area, but Masch
made two reaction saves, the second on Ekblom inside of six yards.
Just a minute later, Ekblom narrowly missed wide on a near post
volley.
In the 19th minute, Kirsty Meyer's shot from outside the box sailed
through traffic, but was stopped by ETSU keeper Megan Masch. Just
two minutes later, Gibney's volley hit the top of the cross
bar.
ETSU's best chance of the opening half came on an attack down the
right flank, Tori Head's service found Genna Petersen, but her shot
from inside 10 yards sailed high over the bar.
In the 31st minute, Porter hit a shot from distance that just
missed the left junction of the bar and post.
CU is 7-0 when it scores first in a match this season, and only one
victory shy of posting its highest A-Sun wins total since the 2005
club won six en route to the conference final.
Seven of Campbell's eight victories have come by one-goal margins.
Campbell returns to action with a 7:00 p.m. kick-off Saturday at
USC Upstate.
Campbell finished with a 22-6 advantage in shots, 10-3 in shots on
goal. Masch had nine saves in the ETSU (3-10, 2-3) nets, while
Jamie Panfil made three stops and recorded her fifth shutout of the
year.