Box Score Box Score
BOILING SPRINGS, NC – The Winthrop women's soccer team opened its 2009 Big South Conference season with a 2-0 defeat to the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs on Saturday evening at Greene-Harbison Field.
The Lady Eagles fall to 3-6-1 on the season and 0-1 in the conference, while the Runnin' Bulldogs improve to 7-5 overall and 1-0 in conference play.
“We played hard tonight, but it was tough with some of our key players missing tonight,” said head coach Melissa Heinz.
Gardner-Webb got on the board first in the 36th minute on a penalty kick by Sarah Keyser. Keyser was awarded the penalty kick after she was fouled in the 18-yard box.
Freshman Kylie Long led Winthrop in the first half with two shots, and freshman Ariel Kunde had the lone shot on-goal. Sophomore goalkeeper Kelsy Weavil had two saves.
Keyser and Megan Tremblay both had two shots for the Runnin' Bulldogs in the first stanza, with Keyser, Tremblay and Megan Reimer combining for the three shots on-target. Goalkeeper Samantha Rupert finished the half with one save.
The Lady Eagles outshot Gardner-Webb 6-5 in the first half, with the Runnin' Bulldogs holding a 3-1 advantage in corner kicks.
Gardner-Webb would increase its lead to 2-0 in the 85th minute on a header by Jillian Dean. The Runnin' Bulldogs got the play started on two quick passes by Keyser and Stephanie Benshoof to Dean, whose shot was misplayed by Weavil.
“The second goal came because we started pressing and had nobody in the defense,” Heinz said.
Gardner-Webb finished the match taking a total of 15 shots, and Winthrop attempting seven. The Runnin' Bulldogs also led in corner kicks 6-3.
Long led the Lady Eagles with her two shots and five different players had one shot apiece. Sophomore Rachel Webster would add a shot on-goal in the second half. Weavil had a total of four saves in the match.
Reimer had a team-high five shots and two shots on-target in the game for Gardner-Webb, with Keyser and Tremblay adding three shots each. Rupert finished with two saves.
“It's hard to lose our first conference game, but it is not going to keep us from going hard and moving forward,” added Heinz.
Winthrop will be back in action on Friday, Oct. 9 as it hosts the Liberty Flames at 7 p.m. in Big South Conference action.
