BOILING SPRINGS, NC - Winthrop and Gardner-Webb battled for 90 minutes in a back and forth Big South Quarterfinal, which was ultimately decided by a Runnin' Bulldogs game winning goal in the 87th minute at Greene-Harbison Stadium. Friday night's contest was tied 1-1 for nearly the entirety of the second half before the home side netted their second goal to end the Eagles' season at 8-7-1 overall. 

Gardner-Webb struck first in Friday's contest when Alisha Holcombe drove home a low shot for her first goal of the season in the seventh minute of the match. The Runnin' Bulldogs' Jada Newton was credited with the assist on the play. 

Fifteen minutes later, Winthrop tied the score courtesy of a beautiful offensive sequence. Running up the right wing, Clara Conboy dished a beautiful through ball to fellow senior Allie Thomas who scored into lower left corner for her sixth goal of the season to tie the game 1-1 in the 22nd minute. The assist for Clara Conboy was her first of the season. 

After the two sides went to the half tied at one, the second half featured many unconverted opportunities for both sides and the contest remained a 1-1 stalemate until the 87th minute, when Gardner-Webb's Jada Newton knocked home a shot from straight on target for a 2-1 Gardner-Webb lead, the goal that would prove to be the game winner which sent Gardner-Webb to the Big South Semifinals against top-seeded High Point. 

NOTABLES:

- Winthrop turned in 11 shots on goal Friday night, compared to only seven for the Gardner-Webb. 

- Allie Thomas' goal made her the third Eagle with six goals in the 2019 season (Natalie Royaards, Gabi Hull) 

#EverStand