CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Charlotte matched its season-best scoring output with four goals, all coming in the first half, before both teams locked down for a defensive second period with the 49ers holding onto a 4-3 victory Sunday afternoon over Georgia Southern.

Charlotte (2-1) received its four goals from four different players for the second time this year, as the distribution of scoring continued during the early portion of the campaign. Two of the scores came in just over a minute from Niners freshmen to break open a close game early.

Preseason All-Conference USA selection Martha Thomas got the scoring started with her third goal in as many games when she received a pass from freshman Emily Truelove. Thomas then slipped a low shot behind starting Eagles netminder Emily Flinn for the 1-0 lead at 2:53.

The 49ers were not able to rest on their advantage for long, as Georgia Southern (0-3-1) equalized at 4:33 when a Nora El-Shami cross from the right side was one-touched into the net by Jennifer Wittick.

As both teams battled back in forth, it was 13 minutes later before the ball penetrated the cage once again. Junior Rebecca Beatty sent a past down the right flank to freshman Megan McCallister, who then sent it across the goal mouth to an open Truelove, who sidestepped Flinn for the go-ahead score at the 17:37 mark.

McCallister then got into the act less than two minutes later, at 18:53, when she controlled the ball with her back to the net. She then spun free from her defender and fired a shot to the far left post from 15 yards out to grow Charlotte’s edge to a pair, 3-1.

Again, the 49ers were unable to stay comfortably ahead as the Eagles struck a counter to close within one. El-Shami rocketed a shot off the crossbar, just over the outstretched hands of goalkeeper Annika McHenry. Seconds later, Wittick found herself on the receiving end of the ricochet and with an open net in front of her for the rebound at 22:51 to make it 3-2.

Before the stanza ended, Charlotte was able to add one more to the scoring column. Junior Shelby Hicks sent a long through ball into the box, where Thomas ran onto it. Thomas passed the ball across the top of the 18-yard box to junior Perri Bonner, who was unchallenged in putting the ball between the pipes at the 30:54 mark.

The 49ers were then forced into a defensive mode early in the second half, as Georgia Southern pushed forward offensively from the on-set. The Eagles hit the crossbar again, at 47:52, on another El-Shami attempt. Six-and-a-half minutes later, at 54:22, junior Katie O’Neill nearly helped Charlotte build its margin back to two but her shot was collected by backup Georgia Southern keeper Emily Egan.

With 19 minutes left in regulation, the Eagles nearly poked one through. Alana McShane’s shot following a corner kick was cleared off the goal line by Niners defender. The clearing attempt was intercepted by Ashton Adams, who quickly returned another shot towards the Charlotte cage only to be blocked back and eventually away from danger.

Georgia Southern then cut the deficit in half when Melinda Lukas shook free her defender and shot into the far netting past McHenry for a 4-3 score at 83:23. The Eagles had one last offensive chance but consecutive El-Shami shots were blocked with under three minutes left and the 49ers staved off any other chances down the stretch.

Charlotte returns to action on the road Wednesday, when it stays in the area for a 7 p.m. start in Rock Hill, South Carolina, against Winthrop.

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