Tigers Open Season with Convincing Win
BLUFFTON, S.C. - The Golden Tigers 2012 soccer season opened with a 6-0 shutout of host school USC-Beaufort in the first game of the season for both sides. Despite a slow first half and leading by only 1 goal at half-time, Brenau came back and added 5 more goals in the second with Esther Anyanwu leading the scoring spree.
Anyanwu's first goal came off a Kirsty Smith corner in the 14th minute of the first half. The Golden Tigers had other great scoring opportunities throughout the first half but failed to capitalize.
With some minor line-up changes in the second half, the game opened up and the Golden Tigers wasted little time in putting away their second goal with a brilliant strike from Anyanwu at the 57:35 mark. She completed the hat trick 3 minutes later off of a nice build up from the left side and a well-served ball off the foot of freshman Monica Sanchez which Anyanwu headed home. Sanchez followed up her assist with a goal of her own at 69:11 on a Jenny Knibbs assist. That pattern continued with Knibbs connecting on the fifth goal just 44 seconds later when she got on the end of Anyanwu's cross and made certain it was in the back of the net. Anyanwu closed out the scoring on the day when she was taken down in the box as the final seconds ticked off the clock. She buried the ensuing penalty kick to get her fourth goal of the day. For the game, Anyanwu ended up with 4 goals and 1 assist.
Defensively, the Golden Tigers were solid throughout the match. Goalkeeper, Tori Brown recorded 6 saves on the day including a nice save on a low shot heading for the corner. Overall, Brenau recorded 25 shots to the hosts 13, of which Brown handled with little difficulty.
Next up for Brenau is a match with Savannah College of Art/Design scheduled for Sunday at 1pm in Hardeeville, SC. The hosts come into the match with an 0-1 record after a 2-1 loss last night to St. Xavier, Ill. The Golden Tigers are 1-0 on the season.