FARMVILLE, Va. – Radford jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first 18 minutes and sophomore Sindney Encarnacion (Williamsburg, Va./Walsingham Academy) made six saves in her first collegiate start as the Highlanders (1-0) won their season opener, 3-1 over Towson on Friday afternoon from Longwood's Athletic Facility.

Box Score

Senior Courntey Poole (Gloucester, Va./Gloucester), senior Marlee Schramm (Mantua, N.J./West Deptford) and freshman Ashton Cox (Chesapeake, Va./Western Branch) scored for the Highlanders as they won their third consecutive season opener. Encarnacion recorded three saves in each half as Radford out shot Towson (0-1), 17-7.

Radford opened the scoring just 1:17 into the 2011 campaign as Poole scored on Radford's first shot of the contest. After their corner was disrupted, Poole took a short feed from classmate Madonna Wadolowski (Norwalk, Conn./Brien McMahan) and one-timed the far side of the boards just 1:17 into the match. Wadolowski is now just one shy of tying the all-time assist record of 22 held by Sue Neal (1983-87).

Schramm doubled the Highlanders' advantage on a penalty corner in the 19th minute. Her shot from just inside the circle deflected off a Towson defender and into the top of the cage for a 2-0 advantage at 18:04.

Radford took that lead into the break as it held the majority of the possession in the first half, outshooting Towson, 6-3.

The Tigers struck early in the second half as Janine Kovach scored on a direct corner just 2:45 into the stanza.

Cox's first goal of her collegiate career gave Radford its two-goal advantage back on a corner in the 45th minute. Sitting wide open on the far post, the rookie took a Lynsey Daughtrey (Suffolk, Va./Suffolk) feed from across the goal mouth and knocked it in for a 3-1 advantage.

The Highlanders would hold on the rest of the way for the victory. Encarnacion's counterpart in net, Christina Siwiec, stopped six shots in goal for the Tigers.

Radford concludes its trip to Farmville with a contest against Lock Haven, tomorrow at approximately 1:30 p.m. weather permitting.