Box Score

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The East Carolina women’s soccer team dropped a tough 1-0 non-conference matchup at 18th-ranked South Carolina on Sunday afternoon at Stone Stadium.

The Pirates and Gamecocks went scoreless in the first half, as ECU (3-3-2) found itself mostly in a defensive state, but did an excellent job of keeping South Carolina (7-0-1) off the scoreboard. Junior goalkeeper Saundra Baron was a large part of the effort, making five big saves in the 45-minute period.

In the 66th minute, South Carolina’s Christa Neary bent a shot with her left foot from the right side of the top of the goal box, through traffic, past a screened Baron and into the left corner of the net to give the Gamecocks a 1-0 lead. Baron’s vision of the shot was blocked by several bodies in front of the net.

ECU was unable to put any pressure on South Carolina’s defense in the second half and did not register a shot on-goal. Baron finished the game with seven saves and now as 37 in the team’s first eight games, giving her a 0.94 goals-against average this season.

The Pirates will return to the pitch Friday, Sept. 20, when they travel to High Point University for a 7 p.m. kickoff.