BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – The Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs earned their second 2-0 win in a row with a mid-week victory over in-state rival UNC Asheville on Wednesday evening.
For Gardner-Webb (6-9-1, 5-2 Big South), Katelyn Kellogg was busy in goal with three saves in the first 20 minutes to keep the Bulldogs of UNC Asheville scoreless, and Stina Kleppe put the Gardner-Webb on the board just past the 20-minute mark.
Kellogg made her third save of the half at the 19:05 mark and 52 seconds later, Kleppe took a pass from Maddie Turlington and became the first Big South women's soccer student-athlete to reach double-digit goals when she fired a shot into the bottom corner of the net to give the Runnin' Bulldogs the lead.
UNC Asheville (4-11, 2-5 Big South) would challenge Kellogg twice more in the first half – once with 15 minutes remaining in the half – and again inside the five-minute mark. The Goshen, Ky. native stopped both shots to keep the Bulldogs off the board, and the Runnin' Bulldogs took a 1-0 lead into the intermission.
UNC Asheville held a 9-7 advantage in shots after 45 minutes and placed 5-of-9 attempts on goal. The Runnin' Bulldogs of Gardner-Webb put four shots on target. UNC Asheville earned three corners in the opening half, while Gardner-Webb did not take a single corner kick.
After save in the 47th minute, Gardner-Webb fired off seven consecutive shots over a seven minute period that ended with Kleppe's strike that landed wide of the net in the 54th minute.
Kellogg was challenged three additional times over the remainder of the half and stopped all of the attempts.
The Runnin' Bulldogs' Aubrie Jackson nearly made it a 2-0 score in the 65th minute, but O'Malley made a diving stop. Nine minutes later, Kellogg would be forced to make diving stop of her own. With Skylar Chillison's attempt looking like it would curve inside the near post, Kellogg leapt to right and punched the ball out to preserve the shutout.
Turlington scored Gardner-Webb's second and final goal of the contest in the 80th minute. Kylie Ameres' throw-in landed at the feet of Turlington who stood on the edge of the 18. Turlington fired a shot into the net for her fourth goal of the year.
Kleppe took the only shot of the game's last 10 minutes as the 2-0 win was Kellogg's second straight shoutout and also the second consecutive win by a 2-0 score for the Runnin' Bulldogs.
"Our team has been defending very well," said head coach Mike Varga. "Katelyn came up big when she was called on. We've been working on trying to get more efficient shots. I'm glad we placed so many shots on goal. Stina and Maddie had great finishes tonight."
Gardner-Webb placed 11 of its 19 shots on target, while UNC Asheville was 9-for-13 in shots on target. Kellogg stopped all nine of the Bulldogs' shots on goal, while O'Malley made 10 saves for the Bulldogs of UNC Asheville.
The Runnin' Bulldogs will return to action on Saturday, October 19 when the travel to USC Upstate for a 7 p.m. match.
