ROCK HILL, SC – The Winthrop women's soccer team returns home for the regular season finale and a matchup with the Runnin' Bulldogs of Gardner-Webb at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday evening at Eagle Field
The Lady Eagles enter the match with a record of 9-6-2 overall and 6-2-2 in the Big South Conference which ranks fifth entering the final game. Gardner-Webb enters the match in tenth position in the conference with a record of 3-13-1 overall and 2-7-1 in conference play.
With its current position in the conference standings, Winthrop is going to need some help from around the league on Tuesday in order to finish in one of the top four spots and host a quarter-final matchup on Saturday, October 27. One of the key games for Eagle fans to keep an eye on will be Coastal Carolina at Charleston Southern at 3:00 p.m. With a Winthrop win and either a Coastal draw or loss, the Lady Eagles would finish in the top four. Other games that could impact the final position for Winthrop are High Point at Campbell and Longwood at Liberty.
The Runnin' Bulldogs holds a 5-3 advantage in the all-time series. Winthrop has won three of the last four meetings, including a 7-2 win last season in Boiling Springs. The seven goals were the most goals ever scored by the Lady Eagles in a Big South Conference match.
Krystyna Freda recorded first career hat-trick in the match.
Gardner-Webb is led by Shelby Hooe who has recorded four goals this season. Samantha Gutierrez and Addison Abee are tied for the team lead with two assists. In net, Amy Schmitt has played all but 14 minutes with a 1.85 goals-against average and a save percentage of .786. The Runnin' Bulldogs will wrap up their season on Tuesday, as they are no longer in contention to finish in one of the conference's top eight positions.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Krystyna Freda (
So., F): Freda leads the conference with 25 points and is tied for the conference lead with 11 goals on the season. Last year against GWU, Freda had a hat-trick in the 7-2 Winthrop win.
Grace Radler (
So., MF): Radler is the team and conference leader with nine assists this season.
Lia Gorden (
Sr., F): Gorden has three goals this season including a goal in each of the last two games for Winthrop. She is the reigning College Sports Madness Women's Soccer Big South Player of the Week.
