BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Gardner-Webb used a strong second half to claim a 17-7 win over Akron to improve to 2-1 on the season.
 
Akron scored a quick pair of goals to get to an early two-goal lead after six minutes of play. Gardner-Webb went on to respond with a 6-0 scoring run extending halfway through the second quarter. The 'Dogs never gave the lead away after this point. At halftime, GWU had a narrow 7-5 lead.
 
Bria Foley netted her second goal of the day to start the second half off a Lauren Deaver assist. The Zips' Noelle Boyd scored unassisted, but the 'Dogs rallied off four in a row to extend the lead.
 
The fourth quarter saw Gardner-Webb score five unanswered, including three from the stick of Talen Francis.
 
Redshirt-senior Maddie Martin and senior Heather Lobas contributed a lot to the team's win with nonoffensive stats. Martin finished the day with 11 draw controls, a career-high seven groundballs, and two caused turnovers. Lobas tied her career highs in caused turnovers and groundballs with four each.
 
In cage, Gardner-Webb's Danielle Burke set career-highs in saves with eight and groundballs with nine.
 
Francis led all scorers with five goals, with Preston adding three. Deaver and Foley each netted two and Gately, Sherrod, Vetter, White, and Carroll had one apiece.
 
 Deaver led the team with a trio of assists. Francis and Preston added one each.
 
Burke led the team with nine groundballs, followed by Martin at 7. Lobas and Deaver had four, and Preston had three. Mackenzie Gallery and Jessica Vetter scooped two each. Briggs, Connor, Sherrod, Francis, and Reese Jones had one apiece.
 
Martin led the team with 11 draw controls, and Gately was next on the team with five. Deaver had three, then Sherrod added one.
 
Gardner-Webb hosts Cincinnati for their next game on Friday, February 25 for their last home game until April 2.