Young Harris, Ga.----Wingate University All-SAC defender Sascha Larsen scored in the 81st minute, as the Wingate women's soccer team went on the road to defeat Young Harris College 1-0 in a rain-delayed season opener in NCAA Division II women's soccer action. The Bulldogs improve to 1-0, while the Mountain Lions drop to 0-1 on the season.
 
KEY STATS
 
- Wingate outshot Young Harris 18-4, including an 11-1 edge in the second half
- The Bulldogs held a 6-3 advantage in shots on goal
- WU took seven corner kicks to YHC's two
- Young Harris committed 11 fouls to Wingate's eight
 
KEY BULLDOGS
 
- Larsen scored the game-winner in one of two shots on goal in 90 minutes
- Caroline Peters provided the assist off a set piece
- Angelina Musilli put three shots on goal in her Bulldog debut
- Jess LaFrancis fired another on target
- Katrine Thisgaard made three saves, earning the clean sheet
 
NOTES
 
- Thursday night was the first meeting between the two programs
- Wingate's second consecutive season-opening victory on the road after defeating Barton 3-0 a year ago
- Larsen's fourth career goal
- Thisgaard's 11th career shutout
 
FIRST HALF
 
- Victoria Einsbor put a shot on goal in the first 15 minutes for Young Harris, but Thisgaard picked up the save
- In the 29th minute, Nicole Cristy and Yasmin Cowley put back-to-back shots off the crossbar, but the 'Dogs came up empty
- Musilli and Larsen put shots on goal in the 39th and 41st minutes, but the teams entered the half scoreless
 
SECOND HALF
 
- Chandler Hendrix's shot in the 57th minute hit the post
- A Young Harris foul in the 81st minute set up a set-piece opportunity for the 'Dogs
- Peters lofted a ball into the box into Larsen who scored in the lower right corner
- The WU defense kept Young Harris without a shot on goal for the final 43 minutes to hang on for the win
 
UP NEXT
 
- The Bulldogs open up a five-game homestand on Saturday, hosting Mount Olive at 5 p.m.