The USCB women's soccer team kicks off the home portion of its schedule with a pair of contests this weekend, beginning with a clash with visiting Montreat (N.C.) at 5 p.m. Friday at Fin Land Field. It's the first of nine regular-season home matches for the Sand Sharks, who also will host Campbellsville (Ky.) at noon Sunday for Youth Day.
"We are excited to play at home and on our pitch," USCB coach Ed Heberling said. "We look forward to getting great support from everyone as we start the 2016 season. We have always had great fan support, and we hope this year will be the same."
It's the home debut for the Sand Sharks in 2016 – for the first time in the program's six seasons, USCB neither played a preseason scrimmage or exhibition at home nor opened the season on its home pitch.
"We love playing in front of the home fans," senior defender Bridgette Noonan said. "The energy of the crowd transfers to the field, so we really need the Sand Shark fans to come out and support us."
The Sand Sharks are coming off an impressive 2-0 win at Life University on Saturday and looking to begin the season with consecutive victories for the first time in program history. The 2013 squad started with a tie and a win in its first two contests.
Montreat is coming off a season in which it finished 0-15-1, but the Cavaliers were competitive in the vast majority of their games. They lost four overtime contests and had another five defeats by a single goal. Montreat scored only eight goals a year ago, but half of them came from freshman Alanna Castaneda, who returns to anchor the attack.
USCB displayed a potent attack in its opener, as the Sand Sharks peppered 28 shots – 16 on goal – and might have posted a more lopsided victory if not for a strong effort from Life's goalkeeper and a pair of shots off the crossbar. The Sand Sharks also were dominant defensively against the Running Eagles, and junior Karen Pimentel earned Bojangles' Player of the Game honors as well as Sun Conference Defensive Player of the Week accolades for her role in locking down the midfield.
"The team has trained hard and the players are prepared for this game," Heberling said. "We have high hopes for the season and look forward to playing at home this weekend."
FIN FACTS
• The Sand Sharks are looking to win their home opener for the first time. USCB is 0-4-1 in its first home game of the season after falling 4-2 to Middle Georgia State last season.
• USCB blanked Life University 2-0 in Saturday's season-opener and is looking to record back-to-back clean sheets for the first time since registering consecutive 1-0 wins over St. Andrews and Southeastern in October 2013.
• Life managed only five shots Saturday – the fewest for a Sand Shark opponent since Talladega had four on Sept. 7, 2014 – and the Running Eagles put just two shots on frame – the fewest USCB has allowed since holding West Virginia Tech without a single shot on goal on Aug. 24, 2013.
• With a goal in the season-opener, junior F Hayley Pina moved into second place on USCB's career list for points (35) and is now tied for second in USCB history for goals (13). She also ranks second for assists (9). Pina trails Alexa Muffley by one point and three goals and is two assists behind Jessica Tooley for the all-time lead in each category.
RELATED LINKS
USCB Schedule and Results
USCB 2016 Statistics
Sun Conference Women's Soccer Standings
USCB Sand Sharks on Facebook
USCB Athletics on Twitter
