Gutierrez's Early Goal Sparks Runnin' Bulldogs to 1-0 Road Win at Campbell on Saturday
October 05, 2013 | Women's Soccer
Buies Creek, N.C. - Samantha Gutierrez scored what proved to be the game-winner off a rebound after Shelby Hooe's shot on goal in the 7th minute, and Gardner-Webb defense pitched its second shutout of the season to earn its first Big South triumph of 2013, a 1-0 win over Campbell on the road Saturday evening.
The win ends a five-match losing skid for Gardner-Webb, and marks the Runnin' Bulldogs first win against Campbell as Big South counterparts.
It was Gardner-Webb who was rewarded for an aggressive approach early. Hooe's shot in the 7th minute forced the Fighting Camels' Alexis Connors to make the save, and Gutierrez (Austin, Texas) took advantage on the rebound, putting the ball into the back of the net to give the Runnin' Bulldogs an early 1-0 lead on the road.
Gutierrez's goal would prove to be the difference, as the effort from GWU's defense would keep a Fighting Camel offense that had been averaging 1.4 goals per game off the scoreboard.
GWU (3-8-1, 1-3 BSC) continued to apply pressure on Campbell's defensive backline, as the Runnin' Bulldogs were whistled for an offsides call in the 8th minute before regaining possession and getting Gutierrez another look on frame. Campbell's Connors came up with her second save of the match to prevent Gardner-Webb from extending its lead.
Play shifted, as Campbell looked to cash in at home by recording the next four shots of the match between the 12th and 18th minutes. Junior goalkeeper Amy Schmitt (Waxhaw, N.C.) saved the only of those four scoring bids put on frame, handling a shot on goal by Kells May-Costello taken in the 12th minute.
After another Schmitt save in the 26th minute, this time off a shot from Caitlinn Schneider, Hooe (Mechanicsville, Va.) earned an opportunity to double GWU's lead in the 29th minute with her second attempt of the match, but her header attempt went wide of the goal.
After Campbell's fourth corner kick of the match came in the 37th minute, the Runnin' Bulldog defense stiffened again, with Schmitt coming up with her third save of the match off a 38th minute shot on goal from Alexis Prada to keep the score at 1-0 in favor of GWU entering the break.
The defensive backline of Addison Abee, Haley Ahrenholtz, Brooke Kelly, and company buckled down in the second half, holding Campbell (4-7, 0-4 BSC) without a shot on goal the rest of the way.
In the 61st minute, the Fighting Camels earned possibly their best chance to net the equalizer, when Schneider found space to pressure the GWU defense with a shot, but her scoring bid went wide, and Gardner-Webb controlled possession late to secure a 1-0 Big South win on the road on Saturday.
Offensively, Gutierrez provided the spark, scoring one goal on two shot attempts, both of which were on frame. Hooe, Kelly, and Shaylyn Poppe each put a shot on goal in the match. Campbell's Costello-Mays led her squad with three shot attempts.
For the match, Campbell held a slight edge in shots (9-8) as well as corner kicks (6-4), although the Fighting Camels recorded just two shot attempts while trailing in the second half.
Schmitt (3-8-1) earned the win in a three save effort to secure the Runnin' Bulldogs' second shutout win of the season. Connors (4-4-0) took the loss, tallying four saves over the course of the match.
| Box Score: GWU 1, Campbell 0 |
