WINGATE, N.C. (Sept. 8) – Despite falling into a 3-1 deficit early in the second half, the Trojans battled back to score three goals before playing to a 4-4 draw on the road against Wingate in non-conference play on Sunday evening.
With the draw, the University of Mount Olive women's soccer team opens the 2024 season at 0-0-1 after being picked fifth in the preseason Conference Carolinas poll. The two sides played to a tie for a consecutive year after the 2023 contest finished 1-1 in Mount Olive. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs moved to 1-0-1 this season and were picked third in the South Atlantic Conference (SAC) preseason rankings.
Wingate established an early 1-0 advantage in the eighth minute of the contest after a through ball from near midfield was slotted into the bottom left corner of the goal by Audur Halldorsdottir. At the 16:26 mark, the Bulldogs added to their lead after Manu Baptista Filipe volleyed a blocked shot into the bottom right corner of the net, 2-0. Mount Olive responded just over 10 minutes later in the 27th minute as sophomore transfer
Yaneli Sanchez scored her first career goal at the near post after regrouping from a collision with the goalie, 2-1.
In the second half, Wingate reclaimed its two-goal advantage after Sophia Husted peppered a shot from outside the top of the box into the top-right corner of the net in the 49th minute, 3-1. At the 61:19 mark, senior
Tianna Hill opened her goal-scoring account after lacing a shot into the top-left side of the goal with an assist awarded to junior
Addison Dangler to trim the deficit to 3-2. The Trojans tied the match at 3-3 in the 73rd minute after a free-kick into the box was headed down by senior
Olivia Womack before Dangler delivered the ball across the line. Under five minutes later, Hamrick belted a free kick over the Bulldog defense before Sanchez scored her second goal of the game to take a 4-3 lead at the 77:06 mark. In the closing minutes, Mount Olive had a player sent off with a second yellow card, which set up a free-kick attempt. The Bulldogs delivered the ball into the far post and scored the game-tying goal in the 89th minute to finish in a 4-4 draw.
Senior
Samantha Gildner collected four saves while facing 18 shots in 90 minutes of action in her fifth career start for the Trojans.
Both sides finished with 18 shots while Mount Olive held a 10-8 edge in shots on goal. Wingate finished the contest with a 5-4 edge in corner kicks.
The Trojans are idle for nearly a week before returning to action on Saturday, Sept. 14, to face Erskine on the road in Conference Carolinas play at 1 p.m.
