ECU Athletic Media Relations

FLORENCE, S.C. — Lightning strikes that caused a 98-minute delay from the match’s original kickoff time and some wet conditions caused by light rain could not slow down East Carolina’s relentless offensive attack, as it cruised to a 6-0 victory over Francis Marion on Monday night.

The half-dozen Pirate goals were the most in a single game since scoring the same amount against Francis Marion in 2005.

The win caps ECU’s successful three-game road trip which included a trio of shutouts at Western Carolina, George Mason and Francis Marion. The last time the Pirates won three-straight road games without allowing a goal was during the 2008 season when they came out on top at Rice (2-0), Houston (1-0) and Southern Miss (2-0) en route to a 14-4-1 overall record and a share of the Conference USA regular season title.

“It was a good win,” head coach Rob Donnenwirth said. “It was great to have six different players score and everyone contributed. Our depth was a major factor tonight.”

East Carolina (3-1) wasted little time getting on the offensive attack, dominating possession in the midfield and earning the first corner kick of the evening in the seventh minute. Sophomore Autumn Berry, using her left foot, hooked the cross from the right, near-side corner and directly into the Patriots’ net to give her team an early 1-0 lead. The goal was the first of her career.

The Pirates outshot Francis Marion (0-3), 4-2, overall and 3-2 in shots on goal in the first half, while both sides earned a pair of corner kick chances. ECU’s aggressive tactics resulted in four offsides calls in the period, but some small halftime adjustments, combined with the same offensive mindset, paid huge dividends over the next 35 minutes of play.

Just nine minutes into the second half, the Pirates earned a golden scoring opportunity when junior striker Kendall Frey drew a foul inside the Patriots’ goal box. Senior Stephanie Seagrave took the penalty kick, but it was stopped by Francis Marion goalkeeper Taylor O’Berry.

ECU continued to apply immense pressure to the opposing defense however, scoring five goals in just a 20-minute span.

Sophomore forward Lana Spitler collected a ball just inside the Patriots’ 18-yard line and drilled a shot into the back of the net in the 60th minute for her first goal of the season and second of her career.

In just her fourth collegiate game freshman striker Brittany Fary settled a pass from sophomore Kelsey Reeves, before hitting a shot from approximately five yards beyond the top of Francis Marion’s box and into the back of the net for her first-career goal just four minutes after Spitler’s tally.

In the 71st-minute, Berry earned her third point of the night when she placed a pass through a seam in the defense and ahead to Frey who finished a shot past a diving goalkeeper and into the left pocket of the net. The goal was the 10th of Frey’s career and second in as many games.

Leading 4-0, the Pirates tacked on another score in the 76th minute when senior midfielder Lexi Herring received a pass from classmate Kelly Miller with her back to the goal, turned to her right and struck a shot that deflected off a Patriot defender and skipped past O’Berry for the game’s fifth goal.

ECU rounded out the scoring in the 80th minute when sophomore Emma Scaro hit the crossbar with a shot from close range. Freshman Charlotte Pearsall, playing in her first-collegiate game, collected the rebound and took a shot that found the back of the net to make it 6-0.

Francis Marion took five shots on goal on the evening, as Tori Whigham and Elizabeth Asare each had two apiece, but Pirate redshirt junior goalkeeper Saundra Baron stopped all five shots for her third-consecutive shutout in 71 minutes of action between the pipes. Senior Erika Lenns played the final 19 minutes in net and made one save.

The Pirates outshot the Patriots, 14-8, and held a 4-2 edge in corner kicks on the night.

East Carolina will return home Friday, Sept. 5 and host Davidson at 7 p.m., Johnson Stadium, before welcoming Elon on Sunday, Sept. 7 with kickoff scheduled for 2 p.m.