BOILING SPRINGS --- The Central Michigan Chippewas outscored Gardner-Webb by a 12-2 margin in the first half, and forced 15 turnovers en route to a 16-4 victory over the Runnin' Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon at Spangler Stadium.
Central Michigan (1-1) outshot Gardner-Webb (0-4) by a 27-14 margin in the contest – including a 19-6 edge in the first half – while converting 15-of-19 clear attempts and controlling 14-of-21 draws. The Runnin' Bulldogs won the battle on the ground, 33-26, as the teams combined for 42 turnovers.
Amanda Steinmuller (Ellicott, Md.) and Emma Rufolo (Woodstock, Md.) each scored two goals for Gardner-Webb, as Monique Martin (Tyngsboro, Mass.) recorded game-highs of eight ground balls and four caused turnovers. Rufolo added five ground balls and three caused turnovers, while Cassidy McDowell (Cincinnati, Ohio) made six saves.
Sydney Wright led the way for Central Michigan with four goals and two assists, while Jocelyne Lemay, Kaitlin Kimble and Summer Abdalla each scored a hat trick. Riley Huda dished out three assists, as Auguste Jepsen posted a team-high four ground balls.
Central Michigan got rolling with five goals in the first 10 minutes, taking an early 5-0 lead before Rufolo got Gardner-Webb on the board with a free position goal at the 19:00 mark. The Chippewas would answer with five strikes in the next seven minutes to push the advantage to 10-1 on a free position goal by Kimble with 13:53 left in the first half.
Steinmuller countered with her first goal of the season moments later, trimming the margin to 10-2 at the 12:42 mark before strikes from Kimble and Lemay gave Central Michigan a 12-2 lead at the break.
The Runnin' Bulldogs got one back midway through the second half, cutting the advantage to 12-3 when Kieran Garvey (Raleigh, N.C.) found Rufolo darting inside to record her first collegiate point with a nifty assist.
The Chippewas would respond with three goals over the next 10 minutes to push the margin to 15-3 ahead of Steinmuller's second strike of the day with 3:08 to play, which cut the lead to 15-4. Central Michigan added a late goal to equal the final margin of 16-4.
Gardner-Webb returns to the field on Wednesday, February 24 when the Runnin' Bulldogs make the short trek to Greenville, S.C. to take on Furman at 6:00 pm.
