Revamped MOC women's team blows out North Greenville

By Gabe Whisnant
Published in Sports on September 1, 2004 1:56 PM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- An impressive start.

Mount Olive women's soccer coach Chris Shaw knows more difficult games lie ahead for the Trojans, but a 7-0 blanking Tuesday of North Greenville at Trojan Field in the season opener demonstrated the potential of his young team.

Mount Olive (1-0) outshot the Crusaders 35-2 in the non-confernece tilt and controlled the match overall from the opening whistle. The seven goals tied a school record for goals in a game, accomplished in 2001 against Peace College.

"There were some things we did well, but we came away with this knowing there are still things to work on," Shaw said. "I wasn't real happy with our marking in the back.

"Granted, we stuck in seven goals. But we had a lot of opportunities we didn't put away. We need to be a little more clean in our finishing."

Freshman forward Lauren Slattum, who hails from Angier, posted the third-ever hat trick (three goals) in women's soccer history at the school in her first game. Slattum scored twice in the first half and once in the second as her three-goal performance tied a school record accomplished last by LeAnn Young in 2001.

Slattum, who moved to fullback in the second half, dashed up the field to finish off the hat trick on a cross from Jackie Jimenez with just under 15 minutes left in the game.

"It's exciting. I didn't expect the first game to be like this," said Slattum, who has played club soccer for Shaw in Fayetteville the last two years. "The team is really close already, and I love the way we play on the field. I'm excited for the next four years."

Fellow freshman Gina Dos Santos posted a pair of goals to open the second-half scoring.

Another first-year performer, Heidi Phillip, had a goal and an assist, while turning in a strong effort from the center midfield spot. Philip consistently took passes from the Trojan defenders and kept the offensive moving forward with crisp passes ahead.

"Everybody came together everywhere on the field. We were just playing together," Philip said. "Playing in the middle of the field, I've got players everywhere."

Mount Olive's defenders -- positioned near midfield for most of the match -- kept the ball on the Trojans' offensive half. North Greenville's Michelle Hoppes and Ashley Jackson managed the only two shots of the afternoon against Trojan goalie Heather Ressler, who registered her fourth shutout in two years.

Ressler added an assist on Mount Olive's final goal of the game when her long punt found the foot of Emily Anthony, who dribbled through the defense and capped the scoring in the final minute.

While never finding the net, Mount Olive's Melanie Cobb equaled Slattum with seven shots on goal. Cobb's speed proved to be a tough match-up for the Crusader defense. Cobb, along with Leah Stanley and Emily Escolas, added one assist each.

With the game out of reach, Shaw was able to use his bench and move players around in the second half -- a welcome luxury for the second-year coach, who had just an 11-player roster most of last season.

"We are deeper, which is nice," Shaw said. "To be able to make tactical substitutions and rest some players ... it's a nice situation to be in. Last year we were lucky if we had a sub."

Mount Olive travels to Pfeiffer in its Carolinas/Virginia Athletic Conference opener today. North Greenville dropped to 0-3 with the loss.

N. Greenville 0 0 -- 0

Mount Olive 3 4 -- 7

First half

MOC -- Slattum (Stanley assist), 10:56

MOC -- Philip (Cobb assist), 26:52

MOC -- Slattum (Philip assist), 37:08

Second half

MOC -- Dos Santos, 57:07

MOC -- Dos Santos (Escolas assist), 66:13

MOC -- Slattum (Jimenez assist), 76:00

MOC -- Anthony (Ressler assist), 89:55

NG MOC

2 Shots on goal 35

6 Corner kicks 2

1 Offsides 7

3 Fouls 15

Saves -- N. Greenville -- Jones 10. Mount Olive -- Ressler 0.