<p><span style="font-family: Candara;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><strong>FARMVILLE, Va. -- </strong>Longwood University opened its 2012 women&rsquo;s soccer season with a 2-0 shutout victory past visiting Drexel University of the Colonial Athletic Association Friday night at the Athletics Complex in Farmville. &nbsp;The Lancers (1-0) received second-half goals from sophomore <span style="color: #00007f;"><strong>Samantha Phillips|Chesapeake (Grassfield)</strong></span> in the 61st minute, assisted by junior <span style="color: #00007f;"><strong>Kelsey Pardue|Henrico (Hermitage)</strong></span>, and sophomore <span style="color: #00007f;"><strong>Kylie Dyer|Farmville (Prince Edward County)</strong></span> scored unassisted in the 77th minute. &nbsp;Senior keeper <span style="color: #00007f;"><strong>Kyra Byron|Richmond (Mills. E. Godwin) </strong></span>earned the shutout with two saves. &nbsp;Longwood will host VCU of the Atlantic 10 Conference for <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The GAME 3.0 (Greatest Athletics March Ever)</span></strong> on Sunday night, August 19, at the Athletics Complex in Farmville beginning at 7 p.m.<br /> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /> &ldquo;That&rsquo;s about as good as you can start a season, earning a 2-0 shutout on our home field against a strong team from a very reputable soccer conference,&rdquo; said 19th year head coach <span style="color: #00007f;"><strong>Todd Dyer &lsquo;93</strong></span>. &nbsp;&ldquo;They were moving the ball well against us early and gave us a couple scares in front of goal, but once we settled down, we created some great chances for ourselves as well. &nbsp;It always comes down to goals and Sam&rsquo;s strike was world-class, while Kylie really rolled her sleeves up with her finish.<br /> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /> &ldquo;Defensively, I thought we were strong throughout, and our back four kept us in the game early.&rdquo;<br /> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /> Longwood and Drexel waited one hour and 50 minutes past the scheduled start time of 7 p.m. due to lightening in the area before finally kicking-off at 8:50 p.m. &nbsp;The Lancers had back-to-back shots on goal in the ninth minute but both were turned away by Dragons&rsquo; keeper <em>Eve Badana</em>, and the visitors had an opportunity in the 13th minute that hit the crossbar, before the two squads battled scoreless through the opening 45 minutes.<br /> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /> Longwood took the 1-0 advantage when <span style="color: #00007f;">Phillips</span> received a nice pass in the box from <span style="color: #00007f;">Pardue</span> and blasted a shot to the upper left corner of the net at 60:42 for her first career goal. &nbsp;<span style="color: #00007f;">Dyer</span> secured the outcome at 76:50 when she collected a loose ball in the box following a corner kick opportunity and fired low and hard into the net on the right side for her first career goal as well. &nbsp;<span style="color: #00007f;">Byron</span> turned away the final scoring attempt by the visitors in the 78th minute.<br /> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /> Longwood took a 10-5 advantage in shots, including 5-2 in attempts on goal, and the Lancers had a 4-2 edge in corner kicks. &nbsp;Pardue had three shots, and Phillips added two shots, while Byron played the duration in front of the net for Longwood en route to posting her eighth career shutout.<br /> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /> <em>Alex Vazquez</em> had three shots to lead Drexel, while Badana played the duration for the Dragons with three saves.<br /> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /> Longwood and Drexel were playing for the first time in the sport of women&rsquo;s soccer.<br /> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /> <strong><em>The GAME 3.0</em></strong> is a special community event of festivities that will get under way with a spirit carnival and tailgating in the Grand Dining Room of the Longwood Dining Hall beginning at 4:30 p.m., followed by a pep rally to feature the unveiling of the new Longwood Fight Song in Willett Hall at 6 p.m., and a 6:15 p.m. march from campus up Fourth Street and Longwood Avenue to the soccer facility on Johnston Drive for the opening kickoff at 7 p.m. &nbsp;This is the third consecutive year for the event, a collective effort among the Athletics Department, the Office of First Year Experience, and the Town of Farmville, as last year's The GAME 2.0 was played before a raucous and record-crowd of over 1,800.</span></span></p>