Tigers End Home Schedule With 3-0 Win Over Marshall

Wednesday, October 25

Memphis, Tenn.

7:00 PM

University of Memphis

10-6-0, 3-4-0

Marshall

4-8-2, 1-4-1

Marshall

Memphis

Kevin Walsh recorded his first career hat trick

Tigers End Home Schedule With 3-0 Win Over Marshall

Oct 25, 2006 | Men's Soccer

Box Score

Oct. 25, 2006

Marshall Box Score in PDF Format
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MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Junior midfielder Kevin Walsh provided all the firepower on Wednesday night, scoring three times in the second half to give the University of Memphis men's soccer team a 3-0 win over Marshall in the final home game of 2006. The Tigers improve to 10-6-0 (3-4-0 C-USA) and claim their third straight trip to the Conference USA Tournament. Meanwhile, the Thundering Herd drop to 4-8-2 (1-4-1 in C-USA).

The match stayed tight through the first half, as Marshall outshot the Tigers five to four in the first 45 minutes. However, Herd goalkeeper Brad Kennedy and Memphis netminder Michael Goodlett recorded three and five saves, respectively to keep the game scoreless going into halftime.

The first 20 minutes of the second half also had the appearance of a goalkeeper's duel as neither team could convert any scoring chances.

Walsh changed that with his eighth goal of the season in the 66th minute. The Shrule, Ireland, native took a pass from junior forward Jared Britcher and buried a shot into the bottom left corner of the net.

Walsh struck again 11 minutes later. Freshman midfielder Wade Wonderlin fired a pass through the Herd defense as Walsh got past one defender and fired a shot from the middle of the box for his second score of the game.

With Marshall looking to get back into the game late, Walsh added one last goal to lock up the win. Once again, Wonderlin found Walsh with a pass through the Marshall defense and the Tigers went up 3-0 with only 1:18 remaining in the game.

"That was a great performance by Kevin tonight," head coach Richie Grant said. "He worked really hard for us all night long and it was good to see him come through like that."

Freshman goalkeeper Michael Goodlett was solid in net for the Tigers, notching seven saves to pick up his third shutout of the season.

The Tigers finish their home schedule 7-3-0 and will look to improve their position in the conference standings when they travel to Lexington, Ky. this weekend to take on the No. 14 Kentucky Wildcats in the final regular season match of 2006. The Tigers enter the contest ranked fourth in the Midwest Region, two spots behind the Wildcats.

"This is still a very important game with Kentucky," Grant said. "It's a regional game and another conference game. So we're looking to hopefully get another win and get ourselves as high up the conference table as possible."

The Conference USA Tournament is scheduled to begin Nov. 1 in Tulsa, Okla.

Memphis Man of the Match Kevin Walsh

The junior midfielder recorded the first hat trick of his career and the first by a Memphis Tiger since Andy Metcalf in 2004 to give the Tigers a 3-0 win.

"We had so many good performances tonight. Wade Wonderlin did a great job passing the ball and Jordan Lynn was solid as always, but you can't ignore what Kevin did," Grant said. "Scoring a hat trick to lead us to a big win like this is impressive."