The Lenoir-Rhyne Women’s Soccer team upset #19 North Georgia Nighthawks 3-1 inside Moretz Sports Athletic Campus on Wednesday afternoon as the Bears move to 6-0-3 on the season. The Nighthawks suffered their first loss of the season. The Bears have now scored at least three goals in four straight games and six of their last seven games. Ria Acton, Neve Duston and Elin Hansson all scored as the Bears move their home unbeaten streak to 12 games.

The Bears jumped on the Nighthawks in just the 6th minute as Acton connected on a penalty kick just minutes into the game. Acton had another chance with a penalty kick in the first half but Seirra Fowler stopped Acton’s shot to keep the Bears from extending their lead.

However, the Bears did extend the lead in the second half. After Emerson Talley forced a turnover deep inside Nighthawks territory, Duston snuck it just under the crossbar to give the Bears a 2-0 lead in the 59th minute.

North Georgia thought they finally broke then in the 67th minute but a foul inside the box wiped off their first goal of the game. Just seconds later, UNG’s Grace McGill beat Kristin Oliver to the top left to cut the lead 2-1.

With just 99 seconds left, Hansson extended her goal streak to six as she tucked it inside the far right post to seal the win.

Oliver made two saves in goal as the Bears held the Nighthawks to just 8 shots on the day. LR had a 5-3 advantage on corner kicks but neither team scored on one. 11 Bears had shot opportunities in the contest lead by five from Hansson and Duston.

The Bears are now 4-2-2 all-time against the Nighthawks. The only time the home team lost in this series was in 2002. These teams played in an epic NCAA Tournament game in 2014 as the Bears overcame a 2-0 deficit to win 4-3 in PK’s to advance to the Southeast Regional Championship game. This was the 645th all-time game for the program.

Duston played in her 80th career game, which is tied for eight most in program history.

LR has not suffered a home loss in over a calendar year. The last loss inside Moretz Sports Athletic Campus was September 14th 2022.

The Bears are 6-0-3 overall, 5-0 in the South Atlantic Conference. Up next, a three game road trip in three different states starts with a date at Wingate on Saturday. Kick-off is schedule for 7:30 PM.