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RADFORD – Radford head coach Spencer Smith called the conditions "toad strangling" Saturday night.  The rain didn't seem to have the same impact on Bulldogs, though.

Gardner-Webb scored in each half, as the Runnin' Bulldogs sloshed their way to a 2-0 win over Radford through a steady, heavy rain in Big South men's soccer at Cupp Stadium.

Romeo Kabanda put Gardner-Webb (5-1-0, 2-0-0 Big South) ahead 1-0 in the 18th minute, squaring up to the goal and heading in a near-side cross from Gerard Hefferon.

Kabanda's tally was all-important, especially as the rain grew heavier as the game grew longer.

"When it kept raining the way it did, especially in the second half," Smith said, "it made it very difficult to connect any passes."

Radford's (2-3-1, 0-1-1) best scoring opportunities came in the first half.   In the 28th minute, senior Justin Zimmer (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory) dropped a pass back for junior Mike Handlin (Opal, Va./Liberty-Bealeton) at the top of the box, but Handlin's low drive drifted wide of the net.  Zimmer's corner kick in the 43rd minute found freshman Myles Jones (Redditch, England/Studley) in front, but Jones tapped the ball just outside the near post.

"I thought we were going to get through and get one in the first half," said Smith.  "Second half, I was hoping we could get that same effort, but it wasn't quite as good as it was in the first."

Hefferon added insurance for the Runnin' Bulldogs in the 87th minute, collecting a ball that was stopped by a puddle in Radford's end of the field and scoring from just outside the penalty box to make it 2-0, Gardner-Webb.

Not only did the rain make the field itself nearly unplayable, but Smith said it changed the way the Highlanders play the game.

"We couldn't play the ball on the ground, which is what we're used to doing, and when you have to switch and play the ball in the air at game time, it was very difficult for us."

Trent Kozman needed to make just one stop to earn the shutout for Gardner-Webb.  Sophomore goalkeeper Ryan Taylor (Midlothian, Va./Midlothian) made five saves for Radford.

Radford is back in action Tuesday night, hosting No. 2 North Carolina at 7 p.m.