Mount Olive splits in soccer

By MOC Sports Information
Published in Sports on October 18, 2007 2:47 PM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- For the first time this season, Mount Olive College moved above .500.

Goals by Gina Dos Santos and Ayecia Higgins helped the Trojans extend their unbeaten streak to six games with a 2-0 victory over St. Andrews in Conference Carolinas women's soccer Wednesday at Ray and Chris Amon Field.

The win moves the Trojans within two points of the top four in the Conference Carolinas standings.

Mount Olive (6-6-3 overall, 4-1-3 Conference Carolinas) withstood a pair of dangerous challenges in the first five minutes of the match to keep the contest scoreless throughout most of the first half.

St. Andrews (6-6-4, 3-3-3) was unbeaten in its previous seven matches prior to Wednesday.

The Trojans broke the deadlock at the 29:55 mark when Dos Santos was fouled just above the box. Dos Santos lined a shot from 20 yards out, over a five-player wall to give Mount Olive a 1-0 lead at halftime.

The lead remained at one goal until a Trojan counterattack in the final 10 minutes. Kate Painter took a long service down the left sideline and crossed into the box to Jackie Jimenez, who one-touched the ball to Higgins. The freshman chipped the ball past the St. Andrews keeper at 81:58 for her sixth goal of the season.

O'Steen finished with six saves for her fourth shutout of the season.

Men's soccer falls to St. Andrews

MOUNT OLIVE -- Mount Olive fell to St. Andrews 4-0 in Conference Carolinas men's soccer Wednesday at Amon Field.

The Trojans stayed within a goal until the 41st minute, but St. Andrews broke it open with a pair of goals in a span of less than nine minutes late in the second half. Curtis Kiyabu scored two goals for the Knights, while Brian Humphrey and Carlos Rivera each added a goal and an assist.

Mount Olive (6-10-0 overall, 1-6-0 Conference Carolinas) fell behind 1-0 in the 12th minute when the Trojans were unable to clear the ball out of their end and Humphrey scored from 25 yards out. Humphrey assisted on St. Andrews' second goal when he took a long service and found Kiyabu for a breakaway goal at the 40:15 mark to give the Knights a 2-0 halftime lead.

The Trojans' best scoring chance came in the 26th minute when Adam Caston fired a shot from 20 yards out, but St. Andrews goalkeeper Nick Stevens dove to his right and deflected the ball wide of the post. Blake Galarza's shot off the ensuing corner kick was blocked.

St. Andrews (10-4-2, 5-3-0) made it a three-goal game at the 70:39 mark when Kiyabu's shot hit the right post and trickled into the goal. The Knights closed out the scoring at 79:08 as Rivera made a spin move at the top of the box and scored from 18 yards out.

The loss was Mount Olive's fourth in a row and first to St. Andrews since 2003.

Mount Olive celebrates Senior Day this Saturday as the Trojans play host to Lees-McRae in Conference Carolinas action. Seniors Brad Carroll, Adam Caston, Chase Smith and Frank Stilley will be honored during pre-game ceremonies. Match time is 4 p.m.