After being held to just one single shot in the first half, The Lenoir-Rhyne Women’s Soccer team got goals from Evan O’Leary and Kate Casey late in the second half to defeat the Wingate Bulldogs 2-0 on Saturday night. The Bears still have not allowed a goal in their six SAC contests this season.

First half was scoreless but Wingate did outshoot the Bears 4-1 in the half. Second half was all LR as the Bears first got on the scoreboard when O’Leary beat the Wingate keeper Katrine Thisgaard low to the left to get the Bears on the board in the 68th minute.
After the Bears were awarded a corner kick in the 76th minute, Ria Action delivered a ball as Casey cashed in a header right in the goal to extend the Bears lead to 2-0.

The Bears defense, which still has not allowed a goal in conference play, shut down Wingate in the second half as the Bears dominated the ball and only allowed Wingate to have two shots in the half. Even with three of the six Wingate shots coming from inside the box, Goalie Kristin Oliver did not have a save in the contest.

These teams played to a 1-1 tie in Hickory as Ria Acton scored a second half goal to help the Bears get an tie a day shy of a year ago.
O’Leary’s goal was her 15th career goal has the junior has played in 52 career games. Acton has 8 assists this year which already is tied for fifth most in a single season. In all, Acton now has 19 career assists, which is good for a tie for sixth most in program history.

Hansson’s streak of goals in six straight games came to an end. Neve Duston played in her 81th career game good for 8th most all-time in program history. Odd fact: These teams have played more recently in a NCAA Tournament game (2019) then a SAC Tournament game (2016).

Lenoir-Rhyne is 7-0-3 overall, 6-0 in the South Atlantic Conference. The Bears will head to Emory & Henry for a 7:30 kickoff on Wednesday night.