LYNCHBURG, Va. --- Amanda Steinmuller (Ellicott, Md.) scored a career-high six goals on seven shots to pace the Gardner-Webb attack, as the Liberty Flames weathered a second-half push from the Runnin' Bulldogs to edge Gardner-Webb 16-10 in Big South Conference play on Saturday afternoon.
Gardner-Webb (3-12, 1-6 Big South) battled throughout the day, continuing to show vast improvement in all facets of the game as the Runnin' Bulldogs never trailed by more than six goals in the contest; Gardner-Webb's two previous meetings with Liberty resulted in Flames' win by scores of 24-3 and 21-4. Liberty (3-12, 2-4 Big South) outshot the Runnin' Bulldogs by a 38-26 margin, as Gardner-Webb put 22 of its 26 attempts on frame.
The Flames edged the Runnin' Bulldogs in draw controls, 16-12, and ground balls, 22-19, as Gardner-Webb forced 11 Liberty turnovers.
Steinmuller led the way with a game- and career-high six goals on seven shots, equaling Alex Fusco's (Marietta, Ga.) single-game program record set earlier this season against Kennesaw State. Emma Rufolo (Woodstock, Md.) and Sadie Bryant (Charlottesville, Va.) each added two goals as Rufolo dished out her sixth assist of the season.
Destiny Mead (Palm Harbor, Fla.) recorded six of GWU's 12 draw controls, while Emma Rose (Weston, Fla.) scooped up four ground balls and Monique Martin (Tyngsborough, Mass.) caused three turnovers. Cassidy McDowell (Cincinnati, Ohio) made nine saves between the pipes.
Brianna McCaffrey and Callie Francis paced the Flames attack with three goals and one assists each, as Hannah Pridemore added two goals and two assists. Michaela Rich scored four goals while Kallie Britton and Kayla Foster both tallied one goal and two assists.
Colleen Ekert and McCaffrey each caused three turnovers as Katy Pridemore recorded five draw controls. Katherine Widrick (8) and Aubrie Tarris (4) combined for 12 saves in goal for the Flames.
The teams traded goals for much of the first 15 minutes, before Liberty broke a 3-3 deadlock with five straight goals to take an 8-3 lead on a strike by Francis with 3:46 left in the first half. Bryant would answer for the Runnin' Bulldogs 14 seconds later to cut the margin to 8-4 heading into the break.
Liberty countered with two strikes early in the second half, pushing the lead to 10-4 before Steinmuller answered with three straight goals to trim the margin to 10-7 with 17:49 to play. The Flames would respond with three straight strikes of their own to push the lead back to six at 13-7.
Back-to-back goals from Steinmuller and Rufolo kept Gardner-Webb within striking distance, with Steinmuller netting her fifth of the day at the 12:22 mark before Rufolo's 22nd of the season closed the gap to 13-9 with 10:08 to play. Rich would answer for the Flames with back-to-back strikes of her own, putting Liberty ahead by a 15-9 margin with 6:55 to play.
Steinmuller capped the scoring for the Runnin' Bulldogs at the 3:49 mark, scoring her sixth of the day and 26th of the season before Alyssa Kidder answered for Liberty with 3:00 to go to equal the final margin of 16-10.
Gardner-Webb will close out the 2016 regular season on Wednesday, April 20 when the Runnin' Bulldogs travel to Clinton, South Carolina to take on Presbyterian (3-12, 1-5 Big South) in a battle for the seventh-seed in the Big South Tournament on the line. Opening draw is slated for 5:00 pm on the Big South Network.
