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ECU's Mindy Nixon (11) prepares to play a ball in front of the box as goalie Lauren Church readies between the pipes.

(Photo: ECU SID)

Bunting Field looked more like Bunting Lake last Friday as a torrential rain storm broke open during the Men’s game and forced the postponement of the scheduled women’s game right behind it.

The men persevered and played on, but the conditions and a strong second half from Memphis left the Pirates wondering what things might have been like had the rains not come. Instead, the reality was that the Pirates saw a three-game unbeaten streak end in overtime with a 2-1 loss to the visiting Tigers. Fortunately, the rest of Conference USA cooperated with the Pirates, leaving the men very much in the hunt for a tournament spot.

Freshman forward Meghan McCallion speeds

down the sideline. McCallion tallied twice for

ECU in its win over Louisville. (Photo: ECU SID)

Cincinnati, had to deal with a last minute schedule change and all of the inconveniences that that can create. In the end, the Pirates were forced to play at Louisville on Sunday and stay over for a Cincinnati game at Louisville on Monday. The schedule change cost the team a home game and has to have the team wondering if a 0-0 tie with Cincinnati on Monday might have been a win for the Pirates in the comfy confines of Bunting Field. Regardless the team picked up four valuable points this week with its draw with Cincy and a win over Louisville (2-0) on Sunday.

The men took an early lead against Memphis on the strength of a Clyde Simms goal in the 40^th minute, but the lead wouldn’t hold as the Tigers equalized in the 73^rd minute and won in the 99^th minute.

“It was a tough loss to Memphis,” ECU coach Devin O’Neill said. “Based on the way the game went, I thought Memphis did deserve to win. We played a decent first half, but (Memphis) was stronger in the second half and overtime.”

O’Neill was quick to say that the weather, though a factor, was not the reason for the ECU loss.

“The weather was very tough and not conducive to a real attacking type of game,” he said. “It was very tough for the guys to make passes, but it was the same for both teams, obviously. Memphis played very well and I am impressed with their team. However, I am a bit disappointed, certainly, with the way we played in the second half and overtime.

“Clyde Simms had a very good game against Memphis. He has been a strong player for us all season. David Rowe has also done a nice job in the back, particularly for a freshman. He has grown (in a soccer sense) throughout the season and is playing particularly well at this point.”

Though the loss dropped the Pirates to 4-6-1 overall and 2-3-1 in C-USA, the Pirates still hold on to fifth place currently in standings, meaning that they would qualify for a tournament spot if the season ended today.

“The conference is extremely tight,” O’Neill said. “No team has distanced themselves yet. The competition for the top six spots is going to be fierce. The parity in the conference is very strong and we’re right there in the thick of things. We certainly have a chance to get (one of the berths).”

Foremost for the men’s team is trying to recapture the confidence that had them riding an unbeaten streak into the Memphis game.

“There is a level of frustration,” O’Neill said. “Certainly being 4-6-1…any team would be frustrated. However, our guys will continue to pick themselves up and we continue to expect them to work harder and expect (to be successful).”

For the women, it was a different story. The week was a big, successful one for the team, albeit a bit hectic.

“After the rain soaked the men’s game, we began to warm up for our game (on Friday),” coach Rob Donnenwirth said. “Then, the sky opens up and it absolutely pours. Ten minutes into warmup, the whole field is standing water and there is hardly any light (at 3:30 p.m.).”

Donnenwirth and the Cincinnati coach agreed to postpone the game. After a call to the league office, the two coaches decided to make up the game on Monday in Louisville since ECU would be there on Sunday to play the Cardinals. What ensued following the league’s approval was a whole lot of logistics in a just an hour and a half. Working to beat the business clock, ECU had to set up everything for the additional game in Louisville. That meant hotel plans, flight plans, bus schedules, additional meal funding, finding referees, and, oh by the way, bailing assistant coach Chris Webb’s car out of the flood waters before it was rendered useless.

If the team was rusty from the whirlwind of logistics planning and no field time in awhile, it did not show on Sunday as the Pirates had their way with Louisville in a 2-0 win.

“Meghan McCallino was a handful for Louisville, scoring both of our goals,” Donnenwirth said. “Our backs played great and limited Louisville to harmless chances. In the second half, we really possessed the ball well against a strong wind.”

The victory was huge for ECU in the standings and the team, aware that the win marked coach Donnenwirth’s 100^th career victory, gave him a Gatorade shower – reminiscent of the rains left behind in Greenville – to celebrate the milestone.

“The team felt it was appropriate,” Donnenwirth joked. “I didn’t mind.”

Donnenwirth expected his team to come out tired with no rest between the Louisville game and the Cincinnati game on Monday night. Instead, what he got, was a charged up Pirate team, looking to take it to the league-contender Bearcats. ECU had to settle for a double-overtime tie, taking home a point.

“Surprisingly, the game was very intense right off the bat,” Donnenwirth said. “Both teams played very hard. Once again, our backs played very well and (Michelle) Kmiotek came up with some very big saves.”

Cincinnati, which had not lost a conference game in 17 straight outings, was equally intense, but the confidence was clearly building on the Pirates side.

“By halftime, we knew that we could play with them,” Donnenwirth said. “Both teams had chances to score. (Amanda) Duffy did a good job getting a couple of chances out of midfield. Overall, both teams played great defense.”

Donnenwirth cited the strong effort by his defenders, pointing out particularly Mindy Nixon, Meghan Schwanke, Penny Perrott and Tina Rivera.

“I feel we were a little fortunate in the first overtime as we began to show signs of fatigue,” Donnenwirth assessed. “We were missing marking assignments and miscleared a numerous balls. Cincy missed two sitters in front of the net.”

Clearly the team, now sitting at 7-3-3 overall and 3-1-2 in C-USA, is in contention not only for a tournament seed, but also for the whole league ball of wax.

“Coming away with that point against Cincinnati, has injected the team with some confidence,” Donnenwirth said. “We are at a point in the standings where we can still fight for the league title, but we still need to take care of business just to make the conference tournament. (The standings) are tight.”

This week, both the men and the women are lining up contests against top-ranked competition. League stature is at stake and both coaches clearly see the opportunities that lie ahead.

The men have a critical match at Texas Christian on Sunday with a big opportunity to solidify themselves in the hunt for playoff seeding. Before that game, however, the men travel to South Carolina to take on unbeaten and 18^th-ranked Coastal Carolina.

“Coastal is a very strong team,” O’Neill assessed. “They are about as explosive an offensive team as we will face this season. We are excited (for the challenge) and know we have our hands full.

“TCU is a team that has had some good results. They beat Cincinnati recently. Going to their place is certainly an advantage for them. However, it is a game that, certainly, we can win.“

Donnenwirth’s ladies are facing their stiffest road trip of the season starting with a visit to league-leading and 15^th-ranked Charlotte followed by a Sunday game at Saint Louis.

"The most important thing – and I know this is cliché – is for us to focus on the things we do on the field. We need to show up, play well, and give ourselves the opportunity to be successful."

On Wednesday, the Pirates jump out of league for a road contest at Coastal Carolina University looking to get back on track after a tough OT loss. It won’t be easy for the Pirates as the square off with the 18^th-ranked Chanticleers (11-0-1; 4-0-0 Big South). Not since an opening-season tie with Hartwick College, have the Chants lost a game. They are rolling and are doing by peppering opponents goals to the tune of an average avantage of 17-10 in shots on goal. Coastal lives and dies by its two young attackers up front. Junior forward Joseph Ngwenya – a native of Zimbabwe – is lighting up opposing goal boxes to the tune of 37 points on 15 goals and 7 assists this season already. Sophomore midfielder Mike Littlejohn accounts for the other half of the scoring labor with an impressive 13 goals and a pair of assists. When opponents do get a shot off, sophomore goalie Aaron Sanders has been particularly stingy in the net with a neat 1.06 goals against average and carries 4 shoutouts into the contest. The Pirates then return to C-USA action at TCU (2-10-0; 1-3-0 C-USA) in a game that could really help the Pirates solidify chances for a league tourney berth. The Horned Frogs have lost three in a row after posting a conference win over Cincinnati. However, TCU is starting a three-game homestand with UAB today and is looking to get things going. TCU has had trouble scoring this season, with just 8 goals so far, and have been shutout five times. The team’s strength is in its backline, which has played admirably but is showing signs of fatigue.

Memphis’ Chris Schmidt tallied the game-winner with just 53 seconds remaining in overtime at Bunting Field to down the Pirates 2-1 and end a three-game unbeaten streak. The game was played in a driving rainstorm, but that did not prevent the Pirates from taking an early lead with just a handful of minutes remaining in the first half. Junior midfielder Clyde Simms took a ball from junior forward Brian Deutsch and tucked it in past the Tigers goalie. Freshman defender David Rowe also collected an assist on the play, initiating the run and pass to Deutsch. The Pirates controlled the game until the last 15 minutes of play. Ronnie Nillson collected a loose ball at the top of the ECU box and drilled home the equalizer in the 73^rd minute. Goalie R.J. Marvinney turned in a strong performance, keeping the Pirates in it by posting 8 saves as the Tigers pounded out 24 shots to ECU’s 14 on the night.

It does not get easy for the Pirates as the team is heading out for a five-game road swing starting with nationally-ranked Coastal Carolina…The league is cooperating with the Pirates as ECU currently sits in fifth place, meaning if the season ended today, the Pirates would be in the conference tournament…A key conference game goes this week with Saint Louis squaring off with South Florida. The result can only help the Pirates move up, providing ECU takes care of business in Texas...The players should be well-rested as Fall Break afforded them a few days off.

With Charlotte’s 2-0 win over TCU, the 49ers registered their 4^th shutout in league play and kept themselves in the upper echelon of the league. The team also picked up a draw with Davidson (1-1 in 2OTs) to post an unbeaten week. Goalie Lucas Mackanos was named the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week for his work between the pipes in the team’s 1-0-1 week. Mackanos has 9 career shutouts and has garnered league honors four previous times in his time at Charlotte. He will be truly tested tonight, as the 49ers face nationally-ranked South Carolina tonight…Josh Gardner tallied a late goal for Cincinnati directly off a corner kick to secure a non-league tie with Butler (1-1) to salvage the week. The Bearcats dropped a key league match to 20^th-ranked Saint Louis, 2-1…Preseason player of the year selection Jack Jewsbury has shaken off a tough start and returned to form to lead Saint Louis to the top of the league standings. Jewsbury ripped a late goal to clinch a league win against Cincinnati, pushing their win streak to nine games in a row. Earlier in the week, Jewsbury also had a goal and two assists and Chris Cole netted a pair of goals to lead the Billikens over Air Force (4-2)…DePaul’s Luke Rojo tallied a game-winner in the second half to clinch a 1-0 Blue Demons win over IPFW…Louisville saw its share of overtime this week, dropping a 1-0 contest to Ohio State and drawing with UAB 0-0 in a double-OT affair. Freshman Cardinal goalie Brad Sokolowski put together back-to-back strong performances to keep the Cards in both games. Last season’s top attacker Simon Bird is back I the lineup and should add punch to lineup…Memphis scored a pair of solid wins, taking a trip through eastern North Carolina. After beating the Pirates 2-1, Memphis downed UNC-Wilmington 3-2. Sophomore reserve John Reilly and bench senior Kirk Ricketts emerged as a deadly scoring combo as Reilly tallied twice on assists from Ricketts and Ricketts tallied from Reilly, to lead the Tigers’ rally to a win…South Florida kept pace this week by collecting to wins, including a key league victory over Marquette (1-0). Aaron Paroulek tallied from Jeff Thwaites for the game-winner in the 63^rd minute. The Bulls won the battle of south-central Florida against UCF, fueled by league-leading scorer, freshman Hunter West, who tallied and added an assist.

“Coming away with that point against Cincinnati, has injected the team with some confidence.”

The week ahead for ECU is its biggest of the season. Coaches may tell you that every week is big, but Donnenwirth and his team know the gravity of what this week means to them and their chances to not only qualify for the league tournament, but perhaps even make a legitimate run at a regular-season league title. On Friday, the Pirates visit a powerful Charlotte team. The 49ers are currently ranked 15^th in the nation and boast an unbeaten mark of 11-0-1 overall and 5-0-1 in C-USA. The team is coming off a 4-1 dominating win over 14^th-ranked Marquette. Charlotte is a savvy, experienced team that, like ECU with Meghan McCallion, has a phenom freshman attacker in Courtney Crandell. Crandell is tearing up the league offensively with 34 points already coming on the strength of 15 goals and 4 assists. Lindsay Duncan (6 goals, 2 assists) is also a potent scorer for Charlotte. Jill Hayes (5 goals, 2 assists) and Jennie Leeder (5 goals, assist) provide a variety of scorers on the roster. Senior goalie Jenn Howell is coming off of a shutout win against DePaul and is playing well since returning to the lineup in the Marquette game after recovering from a back injury. The Pirates follow the Charlotte contest with a Sunday visit to Saint Louis (10-3-1; 4-1-1). The Billikens are strong and led by Jamie Perry (10 goals, 3 assists) and Christie Cigno (8 goals, 3 assists). Jenny Kehl (4 goals, 9 assists) is the top setup artist in the league and is dangerously creative with the ball. Goalie Meghann Burke has not surrendered a goal in the Billikens’ last two outings.

The Pirates’ had little trouble dispatching of Louisville 2-0 in the Sunday league contest. Freshman forward Meghan McCallion tallied twice – her 8^th and 9^th goals of the season – to lead the team. Jennifer Leonard and Unicity Dittmer combined for the assist on McCallion’s first tally and Kristin Hoyle set up the second tally of the night for McCallion. Goalie Michelle Kmiotek picked up the shutout. In the Pirates dominated the game offensively, outshooting the Cards 12-5 on the day. On Monday, the team played Cincinnati in a makeup game from Friday night. The two teams battled to a 0-0 tie in double-overtime. Senior midfielder Amanda Duffy had the Pirates best scoring opportunities, but defense was the name of the game and Donnenwirth cited the play of goalie Kmiotek and backliners Penny Perrott, Tina River, Meghan Schwanke, and Mindy Nixon for their exceptional play.

Coach Rob Donnenwirth claimed a coaching milestone in the win against Louisville on Sunday. The win marked his 100^th career win and earned him a Gatorade shower compliments of his team…The 2-0 win marked the first shutout victory of the season for ECU…Goalie Michelle Kmiotek went from a likely redshirt season to starting on Sunday. Kmiotek had a cast on her right hand as recently as Wednesday of last week as she was trying to heal an injured thumb. Though cleared to play, the team was planning on redshirting her. However, regular starter Lauren Church came down with mono and is out for two weeks. Kmiotek responded with two starts, a win and a draw and a 0.00 goals against average for the week. Not bad…After arriving in Louisville this past weekend, the Pirates found themselves with no room – or rooms – in the inn. Their hotel was overbooked. However, it worked out for the best as the team ended getting to stay in the historic Brown Hotel with a free night to boot.

Charlotte looks truly invincible these days. Freshman star Courtney Crandell had her first-career hat trick this week against the 14^th-ranked Marquette Golden Eagles in a 4-1 blowout win in the C-USA clash between ranked teams. For good measure, the 49ers also dominated DePaul (4-0) for a weekend sweep. Charlotte is atop the standings and unbeaten at 11-0-1 and 5-0-1 in the league…Though Cincinnati could only muster a tie against the Pirates, the Bearcats did pick up a non-league win on Sunday. Senior Tianna Oliver tallied a goal in the 53^rd minute and Cincy defense made it stick for a 1-0 shutout victory…DePaul established a mark of consistency this weekend it the entire team would just as soon forget. The Blue Demons were beaten 4-0 in back-to-back contests. Charlotte and Saint Louis were the two victors…Houston got a big conference win on Sunday, knocking down Southern Mississippi 3-2 in overtime. Cougar freshman Kelly Golden scored the game-winner 3 minutes into the overtime. The victory comes following a Friday loss to UAB (1-0)…Louisville’s loss to ECU capped a bad weekend. The Cardinals dropped a non-league contest, 3-1, to Ohio University on Friday. Mellisa Wark’s late goal averted a shoutout loss…No. 14 Marquette salvaged a point this weekend by knotting up Saint Louis 0-0 on Sunday in a game in which the Golden Eagles outshot the Billikens 14-5 overall…Memphis got shutout twice this weekend to solidify its position in the basement of the C-USA standings. The Tigers were bested 3-0 by No. 21 Nebraska and then fell 2-0 to South Florida…Christie Cigno scored twice and added an assist and Jamie Perry tallied once and set up two goals to lead Saint Louis in a 4-0 rout of DePaul…Tia Opliger and Kim Martins each tallied for South Florida in its 2-0 victory over Memphis…Tulane got a 1-0 win over USF this weekend. Freshman Jessica Mendez tallied her first-ever collegiate goal for the game-winner to help goalie Kristin Weegar to her second shutout of the season. Tulane also picked up a 3-1 win over Eckerd College on Sunday…Senior forward Katie Adams scored a goal and contributed an assist to lead a Southern Miss victory over TCU, 3-1…UAB picked up two nice wins over the weekend. Cindy Penaranda scored the game-winner in a 1-0 win over Houston. The Blazers followed Friday’s win with a wild 5-3 win over TCU on Sunday. The win is only the second on the road for UAB. Jill Knottek scored twice and Tara Kidwell added a goal and two assists for UAB in the victory.

Men fall in rainy OT while the Women deal with altered schedule