(Charlotte, NC) - The Charlotte Eagles hosted the Wilmington Hammerheads tonight at Waddell Stadium.   Dustin Swinehart scored the game winning goal in the 13th minute, and Ross Spencer added another in the Eagles 2-0 win over the Hammerheads.  Tonight was also WBT Hometown Heroes Night, honoring Charlotte area heroes from CMPD, CFD, CMSO, and MEDIC.   The Eagles were in their Blue and Black uniforms to honor our fallen heroes.

10-year veteran Dustin Swinehart scored the opening goal of the match in the 13th minute to give Charlotte a one goal lead.   UNC-Charlotte graduate Adam Ruud set up the goal with a run down the right side and a serve to Swinehart on the run.  Swinehart put the ball in the goal shooting in off his thigh from about 8 yards out.   The shot came too quick for Wilmington goalkeeper Dan Ruch to make the play.

Ruud came close to putting the Eagles up by two in the 32nd minute off a breakaway from the left side.   Ruud took the shot early to try and catch Ruch out of position, but his shot went wide left.

The first half was a hard fought battle by both teams as is normally the case when the Eagles and Hammerheads go head to head.   Shots were fairly even in the half at 6-5 in favor of Wilmington.

Wilmington turned up the pressure in the second half looking to get on the scoreboard.  They had their best chance of the match in the 82nd minute when Charlotte was forced to clear the ball off the goal line, and finally headed it back over the cross bar.   Despite Wilmington's pressure, it was Charlotte that put another one in the net.

Ross Spencer scored the second goal of the match for Charlotte in the 86th minute.   Jacob Coggins received the ball at the top of the eighteen yard box and touch the ball over to Spencer who was facing goal.  Spencer hit a low shot on goal, and Wilmington goalkeeper Ruch got a piece of it.  The ball carried into the lower right corner to give the Eagles a 2-0 lead.

Wilmington out-shot Charlotte 10-5 in the second half and 16-10 overall, but the Charlotte defense held strong and Dan Benton was solid in goal for the Eagles.  Benton had 5 saves on the night and Dan Ruch had 3 saves for Wilmington.

"This was a huge win for us after not playing so well last week in Harrisburg.   To come home and lose one to Wilmington would have been devastating.  It's always an amazing game with our arch rival.  We played pretty composed in the back to shut out a good Wilmington team," commented Eagles Head coach Mark Steffens.