By Jordan Honeycutt
sports@salisburypost.com
MOUNT ULLA — Very few sports teams look to a freshman to provide scoring––but apparently that will be the mantra of Carson soccer for the 2012 season.
Fab frosh Cassie Howard delivered two goals in the first half for the Cougars in its 3-2 victory over South Rowan Monday.
“It feels great,” Howard exclaimed. “The first one, I got a great pass from Katie Barringer and was able to get it in the net. On the second, which was my favorite of the two, I just made a good dribble move and put a good boot on it and got it.”
The Cougars led 3-1 at the half and looked to be the faster, more physically fit team, but the Raiders would not stay down for the count.
South struck on a Leslie Franks goal at the 29-minute mark of the second half to cut the deficit to 3-2 but could never muster another great scoring opportunity.
“We never quit and we are seeing a lot of improvement which is what our main pre-season goals were,” South Rowan coach David Sides said. “I’m proud of them and I thought we played a complete game, just came up a little short.”
You would think Carson head coach Ken Correll would have been ecstatic over the win, but he still sees an ugly trend in the Cougars’ play.
“We got back to doing a lot of what we did last year, which is not finishing games with the energy and intensity that we start them and that can’t happen,” Correll said. “Cassie came up huge for us and I was real happy with the first half but that second half was way too flat and we need more control and aggressiveness than that if we are going to keep winning games.”
The Cougars also received a goal from Barringer in addition to Howard’s pair.
Keeper Alex Allen was able to hang tough and preserve the win in the net.
South’s Brittany Sprinkles added a goal to the one scored by Franks.
Carson will advance to take on host West Rowan tonight at 5 P.M., with the winner securing a spot in the finals against the winner of Salisbury and North Rowan.