Though the women’s soccer team earned only a split of two games over the weekend, SMU seemed to be in control of its opponents for much of both contests.
On Friday, the Mustangs (4-8-1, 2-3-1 Conference USA) out shot conference-leading Marshall (11-3-0, 4-2-0) in the first half, 9-4, but the Thundering Herd received a goal from forward Erika Duncan to win the game 1-0.
“The better team lost,” head coach Brent Erwin said. “We created all the chances, and I think in the second half we were very, very good.”
Junior midfielder Leslie Briggs led the Mustangs with eight shots, including four shots on goal. A transfer student who spent two years playing for the North Carolina Tar Heels, Briggs now has a team-high 42 shots on the season with three goals and seven points.
“She’s a good player, and we’ve moved her to a position to where she can have the ability to attack on goal more,” Erwin said.
Briggs added eight more shots Sunday against the East Carolina Pirates (8-4-2, 3-3-0), and freshman forward Shelby Hartweck knocked in two goals in the first half for a 2-1 SMU victory.
Less than 4:00 into the game, Hartweck took a long pass from junior defender Kristin Medeiros in the corner and kicked it past ECU goalkeeper Berit Hansen to put the Mustangs ahead, 1-0.
She scored again in the 11th minute with a rebound off the goal post, pushing her into a tie with Briggs and forward Kenzie Scovill for the team lead in goals this season (3).
“You see a freshman who is coming of age,” Erwin said of Hartweck. “She really is starting to gain an understanding that she has a lot of qualities, and that she can do it at this level”
As a team, SMU spent most of Sunday’s game within the ECU zone, outshooting the Pirates 22-8.
“We controlled the game from beginning to end,” Erwin said. “We created a lot of chances and we kept them under pressure.”
The Mustangs will take their final road trip of the season this weekend with stops in Memphis and Birmingham. SMU takes on the Lady Tigers (9-5-0, 4-2-0) Friday at 7 p.m. before facing the UAB Blazers (9-4-1, 3-2-1) Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.
