CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Three second-half goals in a nine-minute span broke open a deadlocked score to lift the Charlotte women’s soccer team to a 4-1 season-opening win over Coastal Carolina Sunday afternoon at Transamerica Field.

For the second-straight contest, including the exhibition match, four different 49ers found the back of the net as Charlotte (1-0) dominated the offensive attack with a 27-to-6 shots advantage and 7-to-3 edge on corner kicks.

The Niners struck first early as freshman Megan McCallister juked her way to her first collegiate score. With the ball in her possession, she stepped back and then cut through the defense to punch a low shot past Chanticleers goalkeeper Becca Austin at the near left post at the 6:51 mark. McCallister becomes the 12th freshman starter in school history to score a goal in the season opener and the second in as many years, following Martha Thomas last fall.

As the rain started to fall, Coastal Carolina (1-1) was able to find the equalizer at 28:50 when Brittany Temple sent a loose ball into the box, where Ellie Taylor placed her foot on it and knocked it between the pipes. Neither team scored again the remainder of the half as it remained 1-1 despite the 49ers holding a 12-to-3 shot lead at the intermission.

With weather alternating between sun and rain, conditions were not ideal for either side. However, Charlotte made the most of its chances during the second 45 minutes, increasing its attempts to 15 in the period.

It would be 25 minutes into the second half before the Niners added another mark in the scoring column. Freshman Hannah Rempel pushed the ball forward to Thomas, who fired a 20-yarder past Austin in what proved to be the game winner at 70:50.

Less than three minutes later, at 73:31, Rempel had her turn with a score of her own. She knocked in an unassisted goal after her shot from 30 yards away tucked hard into the right post to grow Charlotte’s lead to 3-1.

The final 49ers tally came at 79:15 when junior transfer Katie O’Neill located junior Perri Bonner, who continued Charlotte’s long shots for goals with a 35-yarder to cap the scoring.

Redshirt senior goalkeeper Annika McHenry played the full 90 minutes, collecting zero saves on the six Chanticleers attempts. Austin finished with 10 saves against the 49ers.

Thomas topped all players with seven shots, edging McCallister by one for game-high honors. O’Neill added four and sophomore Virginia Lingo chipped in with three. Rempel and fellow freshman Emily Truelove each contributed two to round out Charlotte’s players with multiple attempts.

Camillie Christie paced the Chants with two shots.

The 49ers return to action at 7 p.m. Friday in Macon, Georgia, as they will face Mercer in the first road match of the campaign. Charlotte will be back home next Sunday, Aug. 30, also at 2 p.m. against Georgia Southern.

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