Corey Ashe's goal upsets top-ranked Maryland

Reprinted from The Beacon, Thursday, October 16, 2003
written by Alan Keck, freelance correspondent

Virginia Beach’s Corey Ashe rips the net wherever he goes.

Ashe is a soccer exemplar who honed his skills with Beach FC and Kellam High School before heading off to the IMG Soccer Academy in Bradenton, Florida two years ago. He is also co-captain of the U. S. Under-17 National Team and a 2002 Parade All-American.

Earlier this month, the 17-year-old University of North Carolina freshman scored the game-winner against then-No. 1 University of Maryland.

Ashe’s game winner moved UNC up to No. 3 in the Soccer American Standings and dropped Maryland to No. 4.

Palmer also has local roots. He was a four-year State Cup champion with the Beach FC Desperados.

Virginia Military Institute named freshman Charles Nweke (pronounced WE-Kay), a Beach FC/ Cox alumnus, as their Athlete of the Week. Nweke received the award for his two goals and one assist in two games.

Nweke currently leads the Keydets with three goals and seven points. He also received honorable mention for the Big South Men’s Soccer Player of the Week. “His one-on-one talent with the ball has really opened up our attack. Right now the more we get him the ball the better we are,” VMI coach Stephen Ross said on the school’s web site.

Beach FC Stingrays/Ocean Lakes alumnus Meg Pittman scored her first collegiate goal for the University of Pennsylvania this month. The sophomore’s unassisted goal against Cornell tied the game at 1-1 and began an offensive surge that resulted in a 3-1 victory. Pittman’s accomplishments include making the Olympic Development Program state team three times and the regional pool last year. “Meg Pittman was a big, big difference in that game,” Penn coach Darren Ambrose said in the Daily Pennsylvanian.

The defending champion U16 girls Beach FC Fyre refused to surrender a goal for the second consecutive season of State Cup play.

The Fyre shut out the Arlington Flash 4-0 and the Prince William Cardinals 2-0 to advance to the semi-finals of this year’s competition. Keeper Megan Masch anchors one of the toughest defenses in the state.

Against the Cardinals in the semifinals, Liza Woodward scored in the first half and Jodi Knorowski finished a penalty kick in the second to seal the victory.

The Fyre face the Vista Vipers when quarterfinal play resumes October 25.

The U15 girls Beach FC Majix are also in the quarterfinals, as are U17 and U18 Virginia Rush Nike teams.

The Beach FC Outlaws, Virginia Rush Nike and Chesapeake Fire face different opponents this weekend to see who will advance to next weekend’s U15 boys’ quarterfinals.

The boys Beach FC Blaze will represent the U17 division in the quarterfinals.

Among the winners of the Beach FC Columbus Day Tournament were two local teams.

The U17 boys Beach FC Hotspurs defeated the Old Dominion Soccer Club Surf 2-1 to go undefeated and win the U17 Red division. Overall they scored 11 goals and allowed only five.

The Hotspurs lost four players due to injury in the four-game round-robin tournament and had no subs for the final match.

Coach Eric Blackmore said Tim Rawland and Patrick Desmond suffered from cramps in the last game, but hung in to claim the win. Brian Maher and Craig Roberts each scored for the Hotspurs.