ROCK HILL, SC – The Winthrop women’s soccer team picked up its second 10-win season in school history on Saturday evening with a 3-1 victory over the UNC Asheville Bulldogs at Eagle Field.

The Eagles improve to 10-6 on the season and 6-2 in conference play, while the Bulldogs drop to 4-13 overall and 3-5 in the conference. The last time Winthrop won 10 or more games in a season came when it went 13-5-3 in 2006. The sixth conference win of the season for the Eagles also ties a school record for most Big South wins in a season as they also tallied six victories in 2006 and 2010.

“We played very well tonight,” Winthrop head coach Spencer Smith said. “I was really pleased with our effort and am happy for our seniors. They stepped up big tonight. This is a really good win for us, and we just need to keep playing with that type of effort. If we can do that then I feel like we can have an opportunity to win some more games.”

It was Senior Night for the Eagles as they honored Kelsy Weavil, Nichole Smith, Courtney Durbin and Rachel Webster prior to the contest.

UNC Asheville jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the 31^st minute after Ferriss Roberts scored from inside the 18 yard box far side. She placed her shot back across the box over the head of Weavil and into the goal far side. The goal by Roberts was her fifth of the season.

Winthrop wasted little time by responding to tie the game at 1-1 just 16 seconds later in the 32^nd minute on Krystyna Freda’s 11^th goal of the year. Freda maintained possession of the ball inside the 18-yard box far side and managed to beat a Bulldog defender to the right and dribbled back to the middle of the box. She scored from 14 yards out past UNC Asheville goalie Heather Muller.

Courtney Durbin gave the Eagles the lead for good in the 50^th minute off a corner kick near side by Freda. Freda’s corner kick was placed into a crowd of players in front of the net, but Durbin was able to head the ball in past Muller from four yards out. The goal by Durbin was also her second game-winning goal of the season.

Winthrop extended its lead to 3-1 in the 88^th minute off Rachel Webster’s first goal of the season. Webster received a through pass inside the 18-yard box near side from Tori Davis and beat Muller to the left, which allowed her to score into an open net.

The Eagles finished the match with a 16-13 advantage in shots and 9-7 in shots on-goal. Winthrop also held a 5-3 advantage in corner kicks.

Freda led the Eagles offense with five shots to go with her one goal and one assist, while Weavil had six saves in her first start of the season. Kaitlyn Eckert attempted a team-high five shots for the Bulldogs, and Muller also grabbed six saves.

Winthrop will be back in action on Thursday, Oct. 27 as it will travel down to Conway, SC to face the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers at CCU Soccer Field. Game time is scheduled for 6 p.m.

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