Box Score COLUMBUS, Ga. - Patience turned out to be a virtue for the Eckerd women's soccer team in its season opener on Thursday afternoon.
Monique Elliott's goal in the 69th minute proved to be the difference as the Tritons kicked off their 2016 campaign with a 1-0 win over Auburn University-Montgomery in Columbus, Georgia.
Elliott's brilliant strike came after a series of missed opportunities for Eckerd (1-0), which controlled possession for the majority of the match. The Tritons ended the game with a 28-8 edge in shots.
However, it took 23 shots before EC was able to get onto the board due in part to the work of AUM goalkeeper Morgan Glenn, who turned away eight straight Eckerd chances in the second half before Elliott's goal.
Elliott won the ball in the midfield, dribbled into space and fired off a shot from 30 yards out that beat Glenn into the upper right corner. It marked the second straight season in which she netted the first goal of the season for the Tritons.
She almost added a second goal in the 83rd minute, but her strike deflected off the crossbar.
While head coach
Danielle Fotopoulos was glad to see her team control the run of play, she does want more effective finishing in the final third of the field.
"We need to work on capitalizing on our offensive opportunities," she said. "I am excited that we are creating those chances but we still have a lot to work on."
The WarHawks (0-1) tried to notch a quick equalizer on a chance by Ruby Mendez, but she missed wide left. AUM took the majority of its shot late in the match, but freshman goalkeeper
Casey Winn stopped five shots - including three in the final 15 minutes - to record a clean sheet in her college debut.
The Tritons have a quick turnaround as they will take on Columbus State (Ga.) tomorrow at 2:30 PM.
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