Smith scores twice as Women’s Soccer battles past Barton in season-opening win, 2-1

WILSON, N.C. – Junior Pali Smith scored twice, while freshman Averee Andrews tallied an assist, to lead the Lees-McRae women's soccer team to a 2-1 victory over the host Bulldogs in this afternoon's season opener.
 
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Lees-McRae – 2; Barton - 1
LOCATION: Truist Stadium – Wilson, North Carolina
RECORDS: Lees-McRae (1-0/1-0), Barton (0-1/0-1)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Barton opened the contest with three shots in the first 15 minutes of action, but it was the Bobcats who broke through first as Smith scored a penalty kick goal at the 25 minute mark of the first half.  
• The Bobcats maintained the pressure in the offensive end by tallying a shot on goal by Taylor Barrineau and a pair of corner kicks in the final eight minutes, but failed to push across their second as the score remained 1-0 at halftime.
• Lees-McRae continued the pressure in the opening minutes of the second stanza and were rewarded as Smith tallied her second goal of the early season on a cross by Andrews that was just out of the reach of Barton's goalkeeper.
• The Bulldogs trimmed the deficit back to one on a goal just over a minute later.
• The Bobcats survived being outshot 11-6 down the stretch to clinch the team's first conference victory.
• Hope Sanborn picked up the win in net for Lees-McRae, making six saves in 90 minutes of work.

 
FOR THE FOES:

• Olivia Bronson scored the lone goal for the Bulldogs off an assist by Sarah Kaempfe.
• Kristin Davis finished with eight saves in net for Barton.

 
UP NEXT:
The Bobcats will visit Erskine on Sunday, March 7 for a Conference Carolinas showdown starting at 1 p.m.