ROCK HILL, SC – The Winthrop lacrosse team shut out the Gardner-Webb Bulldogs in the first half Monday evening en route to a 21-4 victory in Big South action.

Winthrop improved to 10-2 overall and 2-0 in the conference with the victory while Gardner-Webb fell to 0-11 overall and 0-2 in the Big South.

Junior Shannon Gallagher led the Eagles with eight points on five goals and three assists.  Senior Jenna Kasmarik and junior Abigail Blevins each finished with three goals.  Freshman Kristen Shriver totaled four points with two goals and two assists.

Freshman Katherine Judge had a strong contest, scoring two goals, picking up six ground balls, four draw controls and forcing five turnovers.  Freshman goalie Alaina Girani picked up the victory, allowing only one goal and making two saves.

The Eagles scored early and often in the first half.  Gallagher netted her first goal 2:27 into the contest and scored four of her five goals in the first 30 minutes.  Eight different Eagles netted goals in the first half and Winthrop went 4-for-8 on free-position shots. 

Winthrop achieved a 10-goal lead and a running clock with 16:02 left in the first half.  Abigail Blevins capped off the 15-goal first half for the Eagles with a tally with five seconds remaining.  The 15 first-half goals for the Eagles tied a program record for most goals in a half.

Gardner-Webb finally got on the scoreboard 2:25 into the second half on a tally from Amanda Steinmuller.  The Eagles then scored the next six goals before the Bulldogs netted the final three in the last 5:02 of the contest.

Winthrop finished with 33 total shots to Gardner-Webb's nine.  The Eagles not only kept the Bulldogs out of the net in the first half, they also didn't allow a shot until the second half.  Winthrop won the ground ball and draw control battles 19-14 and 16-11 respectively.  The Eagles were a perfect 11-for-11 on clear attempts and finished 4-for-10 on free-position attempts.

The Eagles will head back on the road for their next conference game on Friday as they head to Campbell for a 3 p.m. contest against the Camels.