The Lees-McRae College women’s soccer team scored three goals in the second half, including a brace from sophomore MaryBeth Sullivan(Greensboro, N.C.), en route to a 4-0 win over King College in Conference Carolinas action on Wednesday afternoon.

Lees-McRae (2-2, 2-0 CC) outshot the Tornado (1-3, 0-2 CC) by a 35-9 margin, including a 20-4 advantage in the second half, en route to its second straight win which propelled the Bobcats to the top of the league table.

Sullivan posted her second consecutive brace, scoring her two goals just 41 seconds apart late in the final period. Freshman Meagan Thornton (Millville, N.J.) tallied her second goal of the season early the first half for what would prove to be the match-winner.

Senior Brooke Santerre (Port Republic, Md.) added a goal of her own, as Vickie Rich (Arlington Heights, Ill.) and Mary Gibson (Hendersonville, Tenn.) each chipped in an assist. Kaitlyn Briggs (Oviedo, Fla.) made two saves to notch her first career clean sheet. King’s Abbey Kitts notched 11 saves, as Jamie Grigsby paced the Tornado with three attempts at goal.

Thornton opened the scoring at the death of the 17th minute, delivering a masterful finish into the upper 90 after a well-placed through ball by Rich to put the Bobcats up 1-0. Lees-McRae carried the narrow advantage into the second half, doubling the margin to 2-0 late in the 47th minute when Santerre found the back of the net via the woodwork off a free kick.

The Bobcats maintained the two-goal margin into the 86th minute when Sullivan scored her first of two, slotting home the rebound off Gibson’s initial attempt at goal to push the lead to 3-0. The sophomore forward added the final tally of the afternoon 41 seconds later, finishing off the right post following a turnover deep in King’s defensive third.

Lees-McRae returns to the pitch on Saturday when the Bobcats host North Greenville University to continue their conference schedule. Kickoff is slated for 4 p.m. at Tate Field.

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