BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Jada Preston's six points not enough as Runnin' Bulldogs fall to Winthrop on Sunday afternoon, 17-10. Winthrop got to an early 7-1 lead, and this gave the Eagles a margin too large for Gardner-Webb to overcome.
 
Winthrop's Lauren Morris scored the opening two goals of the day. The 'Dogs first goal to hit the back of the cage was by Eilish Gately from a Preston pass at the 25:22 mark in the first half. The Eagles' Morris responded by scoring a goal and two assists in the next four minutes to push the lead to 6-1.
 
The teams spent the remainder of the first half trading scores to have the match at 10-5. With 11 seconds left in the half, Talen Francis drew a foul and converted on a free-position opportunity to cut the Eagles' lead to five.
 
Preston opened the second half's scoring off an assist from Hailey Maranto. Following the score, Winthrop scored the next three to push the lead to a seven-goal advantage. For the last 18 minutes of the game, the team's kept responding to each other's points with goals of their own. All second-half goals by the Runnin' Bulldogs came off assists.
 
Kathleen Mackey started in goal for the Runnin' Bulldogs making seven saves in the 60 minutes played.
 
Preston and Gately tied for the team lead in goals scored with three. Francis, Maranto, Jessica Vetter, and Brittany Sherrod netted one apiece.
 
Of the ten Gardner-Webb goals, seven came off assists. Preston also led the team in assists with three. Maranto dished two, while Aimie Perino and Sherrod each passed one.
 
The teams nearly split the draw controls; the Eagles had a 15-14 lead in the category. Francis was first on the team with four draw controls. Tori Birks and Maddie Martin each had three. Hannah Smith and Gately finished the day with two draw controls apiece.
 
Gardner-Webb had a narrow edge in groundballs, 22-20. Mackenzie Gallery and Janice Donaldson topped the team at four scoops, and Francis was next with three. Emily Rowell and Mackey had two groundballs each. Gately, Vetter, Maranto, Perino, Sherrod, Gabby Zerna, and Heather Lobas finished with one apiece.
 
The Eagles finished with 21 turnovers, 18 caused by the Runnin' Bulldogs. Lobas, Gallery, Donaldson, and Francis ended the day with three. Gately, Mackey, Perino, Rowell, Sherrod, and Zerna had one apiece.
 
Gardner-Webb committed ten more fouls than Winthrop, leading to seven free-position goals for the Eagles.
 
The next game for the Runnin' Bulldogs is on April 3 and they will host the Radford Highlanders (1-9) for a Big South Conference matchup.