CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Three different freshmen scored, including a pair by Megan Greene in her collegiate debut, to help guide the Charlotte women’s soccer program to a 5-1 season-opening triumph over Western Carolina Friday night at Transamerica Field.

“We’ve been looking forward to this game since the end of 2015,” head coach John Cullen said. “We battled, worked and did all the little things to win this match.”

Greene tallied a score in both halves, sparking a second-half spurt in which the 49ers widened a 1-0 cushion at the intermission into the final result.

She became the 12th freshmen starter of the season opener in school history to tally a goal, as she put the Niners ahead 1-0 at 38:22. Senior Shelby Hicks sent a long through ball, which Greene was able to one-touch from 12 yards out for the only score in the opening 45 minutes.

“The first one is always the hardest to get and every one after that is a downhill battle,” Greene said.

Charlotte (1-0), which dominate the flow of play throughout the entire contest and finished with a 30-to-4 edge on shots, continued to push in the second period. It marked the second highest shot total under Cullen and the 10th time in program history the 49ers have registered at least 30 shots in a single contest.

Freshman Julia Grainda opened the second half by putting the Niners up 2-0 when she used a chip shot over the Catamounts’ netminder, Carly Tinstman, following a pass from Preseason Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year Martha Thomas, at 55:36.

The cushion grew to 3-0 when Greene found the back of the net for her second score at 56:44. She leapt high to send a header over Tinstman’s outstretched arms on a corner kick taken by sophomore Emily Truelove.

“I think I was pretty nervous coming into a highly anticipated game,” Greene said. “I’ve been waiting for this for a long time. It’s just good to get out here and finally play.”

Western Carolina (0-1) cut into the deficit nearly five minutes later when Sheridan Caudle’s cross from the left side located a streaking Haven Leland, who was able to chip the ball just past a charging Anna Shelden to make it a 3-1 score.

The 49ers would not allow the goal to bother them, as they quickly responded when Truelove netted her first of the campaign. Thomas, with her back to the goal from 30 yards away, played it back to Hicks, who sent a long pass forward to Truelove. The sophomore put the ball on her head and redirected it between the pipes for 4-1 Charlotte advantage at the 66:14 mark.

Lastly, the Niners used another pair of freshmen to conclude the night’s scoring. High school teammates who joined the program together this year, Riley Orr and Mary Manser, capped the 5-1 victory in the 81st minute. Orr’s corner kick slipped through the hands of Tinstman, landing near the far back post, where Manser was standing all alone to poke it into the open corner.

Greene finished with 10 shots, taking one-third of the 49ers’ attempts. Thomas added six, while Truelove recorded five as 17 players saw action.

Shelden, making her first career start after recovering from injuries in each of the last two seasons, was not credited with a save, while Tinstman ended the night with 13 for the Catamounts.

Sayres McKenna paced WCU with two shots as the Catamounts could not muster much of an offensive threat against the Charlotte defense.

“We talked all along about some of the young players we brought in and thought they were going to contribute for us all season – they did so tonight,” Cullen said.

The 49ers will look to continue their solid start to the season when they hit the road for Chapel Hill and a 3 p.m. Sunday contest at No. 9 North Carolina.

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