MOUNT OLIVE (Nov. 1) – Following a second-half goal by graduate student Samantha Hamrick on Wednesday afternoon, the No. 5 seeded Trojans captured a 1-0 victory over No. 8 seed Lees-McRae in the first round of the Conference Carolinas Championship at Amon Field.

With the win, the University of Mount Olive women's soccer program advances in the league tournament and improves to 6-4-7 this season. The Trojans will play in the quarterfinals on Saturday, Nov. 4, when they travel to face No. 4 Barton at noon. Meanwhile, Lees-McRae concludes its year with a 3-8-6 record.

In the first half, UMO registered the opening shot of the contest when an attempt by sophomore Addison Dangler sailed over the crossbar in the fifth minute. The Bobcats responded five minutes later with a shot that was blasted just right of the net. The Trojans controlled possession for the majority of the first half and totaled four more shots, including a pair on goal. The match went into halftime tied at 0-0 with UMO holding a 5-2 edge in shots.

Mount Olive nearly broke the deadlock in the opening minutes of the second half after a header on goal by junior Olivia Womack was stopped by a diving save from the Lees-McRae goalie in the 49th minute. The Trojans continued to pressure the net with two attempts by junior Tianna Hill that were saved in the span of four minutes. After earning a corner kick, Hamrick delivered the cross into the box before it curved into the net for a goal to take a 1-0 advantage at the 63:02 mark. The Bobcats held possession in the closing minutes, but the UMO defense shut down any chances to seal the win.

Graduate student goalkeeper Nicole Solicito earned the victory while playing all 90 minutes between the posts.

The Trojans out-shot the Bobcats by a 14-3 margin while also boasting a 5-1 edge in corner kicks.

UMO returns to the pitch on Saturday, Nov. 4, when it travels to face Barton in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament at noon.