(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.

(Charlotte) - The Charlotte Lady Eagles kicked off their 2007 season with a bang tonight hosting the Atlanta Silverbacks Women at Waddell Stadium.   Forward Kelly Schmedes led Charlotte with a goal and an assist in a 3-0 victory over Atlanta.  The other two Charlotte goals were scored by veteran Tina Murphy and first year Lady Eagle Nikki Lyons.

 

Kelly Schmedes had a goal and an assist for Charlotte

    

Tina Murphy got the first close scoring chance of the game in the 6th minute off the throw from Ashley Swinehart, but Murphy's shot hit the crossbar.   Just five minutes later former U.S. National Team player Kelly Schmedes put the Lady Eagles up 1-0 with a break away goal.  Heidi Drummond made pass forward onto the run of Schmedes.   Schmedes poked a shot around advancing Atlanta goalkeeper Staci Pugh into the bottom right corner. 

Charlotte came close to another goal in the 17th minute off the flip-throw from Ashley Swinehart.  Drummond got her head on the throw-in and placed the ball to the left post, but Pugh got to the shot to make the save.  

Kelly Schmedes help the Lady Eagles to a 2-0 lead in the 28th minute.   This time it was Schmedes with the assist.  Kelly pushed down the right side to the end line and crossed a ball in for Tina Murphy.  Murphy hit a hard one-timer into the back of the net from 10 yards out for the 2-0 lead.

The Charlotte Lady Eagles out-shot Atlanta 8-5 in the first half.   Goalkeepers Pugh and Forbis had two saves each.    

The Lady Eagles continued to control the pace of the game in the second half, but Atlanta got a quality scoring chance in the 66th minute.   Siobhan Rooney pushed down the right sideline and served a ball into the center for Christine Latham.  Latham ran onto the cross and headed a strong shot on goal, but Lady Eagles goalkeeper Katie Forbis was there to make a quality save.

Atlanta goalkeeper Staci Pugh was taken off the field in the 78th minute with an injury following a collision with Charlotte forward Darcel Mollon.  Midfied substitute Sara Power took over in goal for Atlanta since Pugh was the only goalkeeper active on the Atlanta roster.

Lady Eagles substitute forward Nikki Lyons scored the third goal of the game for Charlotte in the 86th minute, just minutes after entering the game.  Darcell Mollons set up the goal on the break down the left side.  Mollon held up her run and made a beautiful pass across the field to the feet of Lyons.   Lyons scored with a placed shot inside the left post, beating Power in goal.

"Quality win against a very high quality team.  Atlanta always comes with such experience."  We're excited about our attack this year; quality in depth at the forward position.  Having Schmedes back is awesome and having her score the first goal is no surprise for us," commented Lady Eagles Head Coach Lee Horton.