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MATCH INFORMATION

• Location: Cupp Stadium | Radford, Va.
• Score: Radford 3, UNC Asheville 1
• Records: Radford 10-6-0 (3-5-0 BSC) | UNC Asheville 6-9-1 (2-5-0 BSC)

 
RADFORD, Va. – It was a complete team effort as the Radford women's soccer team came one step closer to clinching a spot in the Big South Championships with a 3-1 victory over UNC Asheville on Wednesday night.
 
The win gives Radford (10-6-0, 3-5-0 BSC) its first double-digit win season since going 15-3-2 during the 2013 campaign while UNC Asheville (6-8-1, 2-5-0 BSC) drops in the standings.
 
Speedy sophomore forward Nelia Perez got the scoring started in only the 8^th minute.
Sophomore midfielder Nicole Ray dribbled into space, spotted Perez making a run between two defenders played a ball over the top for Perez to latch onto and bury in the back of the net.
 
It was almost déjà vu less than 10 minutes later when freshman midfielder Gabi Paupst collected an errant pass and showed off her big leg to play a ball over the top and behind the defense once again. This time it was junior forward Jessica Wollmann who managed to bring the ball down and beat the keeper 1-on-1 for the goal.
 
Despite going into the halftime break trailing by two goals, the Bulldogs weren't laying down by any means. They were outshot, 9-to-8 in the first half, but five of those shots were on frame to force freshman goalkeeper Lexi Dean into five saves.
 
UNC Asheville would finally get a shot past Dean in the 66^th minute when top goal scorer, Courtney Naber, lived up to that billing and fired a right-footed rocket for her seventh goal of the year. Naber led all players with eight shots, five of which were on goal.
 
The Highlanders wasted no time taking back control of the match, however, and regained their two-goal lead just three minutes later. Paupst played Wollmann in once again and this time she found teammate Jasmine Casarez for an easy, open net finish.
 
The Bulldogs would take 10 more shots in the second half, but thanks to four more saves in that time frame, Dean and the Radford defense kept them at bay and earned the victory.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Wollmann led the Highlanders with six shots (two on goal) with Casarez right behind her at five (two on goal)
• Ray's assist in the 8^th minute was her first of the 2017 season and first since tallying one against Charleston Southern on October 1^st, 2016
• Casarez now has 11 goals this season. That's the most since of any Highlander since Ashley Johnson scored 12 in 2008
• Casarez is also only one goal away from joining Johnson, Stephanie Jensen (1989) and Lynn Childers (1985) for ninth-most in a single-season in program history
• Five different Highlanders Have double-digit point totals after only two reached that mark in 2016. Those five are Casarez, Wollmann, Perez, Paupst and Giannone
• Dean ties her career high of nine saves in a game which she also did at Wofford on September 1^st
• Wollmann and sophomore midfielder Abby Hurst came close to adding to the Radford lead as each hit the crossbar, one in the first half and one in the second half
• Dean and all five members of her back line – Emily Dunn, Jane Everett, Alex Struder and Jada Ellis – played the full 90 minutes

 
QUOTABLE
"I thought we came out ready tonight and it showed. In the first half we were very focused, we knew our game plan, adjusted to what they were doing and scored two nice goals to start off on the right foot. We did the work defensively as well to get the win." – Head Coach Ben Sohrabi
 
AROUND THE BIG SOUTH
Charleston Southern 1, Winthrop 0
High Point 1, Campbell 0
Gardner-Webb 2, Presbyterian 0
Longwood 3, Liberty 0
 
UP NEXT

• The Highlanders only have one game left in the 2017 regular season and that game will take place at Charleston Southern on Saturday, Oct. 21^st
• The Buccaneers are 3-4-1 in Big South play and 5-9-2 overall