University of Houston
East Carolina
Soccer Falls 3-1 In American Conference Championship
10/31/2014 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
HOUSTON -
The Houston Cougar soccer team lost 3-1 to ECU in the first round of the American Athletic Conference Championship in Memphis, Tenn., Friday.
"We played well and did some nice things," head coach Chris Pfau said. "We just did not have anyone that really wanted to score a goal. We did not have a bite up top. I know we are beat up and injured, but I thought the difference was in the final third. ECU had a couple of chances and they finished them. We did not."
Freshman forward Vanessa Almaguer scored her first career goal, and freshman goalkeeper Kaitlin Sterner registered two saves in her first career start, but it would not be enough to defeat the Pirates.
Sterner, a Kingwood, Texas native, made her first career start and faced seven shots in all 90 minutes of action for Houston.
"I want to say what a great game Kaitlin Sterner played," Pfau said. "That was the hardest thing for her to do: to not play all season in goal and then to step into your first game in the conference tournament."
Brianna Spitler put ECU on the board in the 21st minute with a tap in goal on a cross that found its way past Sterner.
The Pirates would extend the lead late in the first half when Kendall Frey scored on a through-ball from Brett Thomas with just under two minutes to play in the half.
After ECU added another goal from Lana Spitler on a free kick from 40 yards out, Selena Peters played a ball into the box where Vanessa Almaguer played it down and buried it into the bottom-right corner of the goal.
"I am extremely proud of this team and we have improved so much this season," Pfau said. "We only lost two non-conference games this season, we competed in every conference game, and really closed the gap from last year. I am excited about the progress and the future of this program."
STAY CONNECTED
Follow Soccer on Twitter @UHCougarSoccer and "Like" /HoustonCougarSoccer on Facebook.
