DOVER, Del. - With a limited-experience goalkeeper in the net and fresh faces on the field, the Delaware State University women's soccer team held Campbell University scoreless in the first half,; however, the Camels overtook the Hornets, 5-0, in the second half to take the win Saturday morning at Alumni Stadium.
The game, which was originally scheduled for Friday evening and was postponed until this morning due to severe storms in the area, showed great defense on both ends in the first half as the two teams went into halftime with a score of 0-0.
"Our backline was disciplined and focused on the situation at hand," stated DSU head coach Nitan Soni. "Everybody was working hard. There were some nerves early on in the game, but we gradually built momentum and got people into position to take advantage. It really was a solid group effort."
CU got off six shots in the first period, but sophomore Darcy Pelz-Butler (Silver Spring, Md.) tallied three saves in her first half as goalie. Pelz-Butler recorded six total saves in the game.
"Darcy is really a makeshift situation as the goalie. For what we're asking of her to do, she is doing a great job," Soni remarked. "She's a field player who stepped up in a time of need for us and said she can take over as goalie. We really want to play hard in front of her so she doesn't have to deal with too much."
The second half is where inexperience played a key role for the Hornets.
Campbell freshman midfielder Ashley Clark scored the first goal of the season in the 56th minute with assists from goalie Ryann Torrero and fellow midfielder Kristy Meyer.
It's at that point when the goals started to come in for the Camels. Meyer and junior Lauren Kuklenski scored the next two goals to go up, 3-0, at the 71st minute. Senior Marisa Muller put in two shots of her own off of a free kick at the 79th minute and on a corner kick at the 85th minute to take the final of 5-0.
"The second half is where more experience in the net would have kept those shots out," commented Soni. "This is a temporary situation and it'll make us a better team."
The Hornets recorded three shots of their own on the day, from juniors Theresa Wappett (Queensbury, N.Y.) and Jeanette Salgado (Bergenfield, N.J.) and freshman Chelsea Boursiquot (Stratford, Conn.).
The Camels start the season 1-0 while DSU posts a 0-1 record. Torrero earns her first win of the season for CU with two saves.
The Hornets return to the Alumni Stadium field on Sunday with a 1 p.m. matchup against Binghamton University.
