MIAMI – Charlotte traveled to south Florida for a Thursday night Conference USA contest and used a pair of first career goals by freshmen along with a strong defensive performance to hand FIU a 2-0 setback. It marked the 49ers’ fourth clean sheet of the campaign.

FROM THE COACH
“It was very important to get that away win on the road in conference,” head coach John Cullen said. “We’re excited about that. It was a great performance from the players, and as a coaching staff, we’re very pleased with the way we applied ourselves – dominated the game for large periods, created a number of really good opportunities. It was a great team performance tonight, as everyone who stepped onto the field contributed, worked hard and pressed them. We made them turn the ball over in areas in which we could capitalize.”

NETTING THE FIRST OF THEIR CAREERS
Both Charlotte scores were the first in the careers of freshmen Selah Gaylor and Ashton Mckane, with one in each half. Gaylor, who started the season with an injury, just entered the lineup for the first time as a collegian Sunday at Rice. In only her second career performance, she was on the receiving end of a Riley Orr throw-in. Gaylor corralled the ball, moved towards the top of the 18-yard box and launched a 25-yarder past the outstretched arms of netminder Christin Velazquez at 32:20.

With the score line holding through the intermission, Mckane doubled the margin at 56:19 after a cluster of players inside the six-yard box. Orr again set the stage, sending a corner kick into the dangerous territory. After it ping-ponged around between players for both teams, Megan Greene was able to redirect it towards Mckane who finished it over the line.

CLEAN SHEET
The shutout was the Niners’ fourth of the season and first since a 5-0 triumph over Western Carolina Sept. 8. It raises goalie Abby Stapleton’s career total to 16, only two shy of Alex Kubrick (2010-13) for third on the school’s all-time list.

ATTACKING OFFENSE
Charlotte held a 12-to-7 lead over the Panthers on shots, the eighth time in the first-nine games in which the 49ers had the upper-hand. The only game in which they did not was a slim 11-to-10 edge by No. 25 Wake Forest Sept. 1.

RECORDS
Charlotte: 6-3, 1-1 C-USA
FIU: 2-7, 0-2 C-USA

UP NEXT
The 49ers will take the rest of the weekend off before returning to action in Bowling Green, Kentucky, at 8 p.m. ET next Thursday, Oct. 3, against WKU.

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