Aug. 27, 2000

Box Score

IRVINE, Calif. - Freshmen Megan Abbamonto (Mission Viejo/Capistrano Valley HS) and Jessica Edwards (Mesa, AZ/Dobson HS) recorded goals in their collegiate debuts as the No. 17 USC Trojans opened the 2000 regular season with a 2-0 victory over the host UC Irvine Anteaters.

USC (1-0) dominated the game, recording a 17-5 margin in shots against UC Irvine (0-1). Abbamonto scored at 15:42 on a corner kick from senior Isabelle Harvey (Cap-Rouge, Quebec, Canada/Cegep F.X. Garneau) in a shot to the lower right corner past UC Irvine goalkeeper Allison Merrick. The Trojans held an 8-2 margin in shots at halftime in an admittedly sloppy contest for both teams.

Edwards added the insurance goal at 71:30 for the Trojans with a rocket from 25 yards out into the upper left corner. She led the team with a game-high eight shots.

Sophomore Lauren Arase (La Canada/La Canada HS) recorded her third career solo shutout for USC. Arase made three saves and improved her career record to a perfect 8-0.

USC is now 7-1 all-time in season openers and 5-1-1 against UC Irvine.

The Trojans will travel to Tempe, Arizona, next weekend for the 2000 Sun Devil Classic. USC will face Colorado on Friday, Sept. 1, and Michigan on Sunday, Sept. 3. It will be the first time that the Trojans have faced either school in women's soccer.

USC (1-0) 1-1---2 UCI (0-1) 0-0---0

USC Megan Abbamonto (Isabelle Harvey) 15:42 USC Jessica Edwards 71:30

Shots: USC 17, UCI 5, Saves: Lauren Arase (USC) 3, Allison Merrick (UCI) 8 Fouls: USC 24, UCI 19, Corner Kicks: USC 9, UCI 0.

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