Second-Half Barrage Propels Miami to Victory
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Second-halfgoals from three different Hurricanes propelled homestanding Miami to a 3-0 win over the visiting Idaho Vandalsat Cobb Stadium.
Freshman Amy Schmidt, senior Kate Howarth and sophomoreAshley Flinn all tallied for head coach Tom Anagnost‘s side, who improved to4-2-1 on the season with the victory. Despite a heavy advantage over theVandals on the stat sheet by halftime, the score remained deadlocked at 0-0.
“We didn’t put the ball on the frame,” Coach Anagnost saidof the first half. “It’s just about having confidence, and having a little morecomposure.”
The Hurricanes made up for their early lack of finish justafter the halftime whistle, as Schmidt and Howarth scored less than a minuteapart to put Miami ahead 2-0 by the 50th minute.
Schmidt, subbing in for an injured Tina Romagnuolo in the 49thminute, connected on her first career goal on a rebound in the box past Vandals’keeper Liz Boyden. Howarth netted her second of the year on a header, set up witha beautiful cross from sophomore Maddie Simms deep in the far corner.
Flinn put the finishing touches on another commandingvictory with a clean strike on a clever through-ball from freshman JasminePaterson. The sophomore forward outran the competition, slotting the ball past Boydenin the 87th minute for her first of the season.
Despite the second-half fireworks, Friday’s win once againstood out for another impressive defensive performance from the home side. TheHurricanes, who improved their goal differential to +9 in the win over theVandals (2-5-0), have not allowed a goal in 299 consecutive minutes of play.
Freshman Paula Forero Cabrera earned her second shutoutvictory of the season, recording four saves in the clean sheet.
“We’re successful defensively only when everyone defends andis willing to defend,” Anagnost said. “That’s been something we’ve stressed andcoached, and that starts with our forwards.”
The Hurricanes open their Atlantic Coast Conference scheduleon Thursday with a 7 p.m. match-up against visiting No. 17 Wake Forest. TheDemon Deacons, who finished last season as NCAA College Cup semifinalists, willpropose a serious challenge for Miami, looking to avenge its 4-1 defeat from2011.
“I’m anxious and excited to see how this new group responds,and what their mentality will be once the whistle blows,” Anagnost said. “Ibelieve in our team and have confidence in our team.”
