BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Gardner-Webb defeated Winthrop 15-10 on Wednesday afternoon to collect their third Big South victory of the 2023 season. Bria Foley had eight points during the game, scoring a career-high five goals to lead the team on the offensive end of the field. In the game, Grace Briggs set the program record for caused turnovers in the season as she reached 34 on the year.
 
Winthrop got off to an early lead as they netted the first and put themselves ahead 4-2 halfway into the first quarter. Gardner-Webb went on to flip their two-goal deficit into a 6-4, two-goal lead to end the opening quarter. Each of the GWU scores during the first 15 minutes were made by a different player with Foley recording four points during it.
 
Foley opened the scoring column in the second off an assist by Aimie Perino to extend their lead to 7-4. The Eagles then went on to tally the next three, bringing it back even at 7-7 heading into the halftime break.
 
In the second half, Foley continued her dominant performance by scoring the first two after the break. Rylee Gonzalez scored one herself off a Jada Preston assist to push the Dogs' advantage to 10-7. Winthrop countered with a pair of goals to cut the lead to one. GWU notched another three-goal flurry to end the quarter, swelling their lead to 13-9.
 
In the fourth, both defenses locked down, allowing a total of three goals, with Winthrop the first and Gardner-Webb the last pair. The day ended with Emma Duchscherer tallying her first of the day on the fastbreak off a perfect pass on the clear by Briggs.
 
Foley dished three assists to go along with her five goals, all which led the team. She now has 63 points on the year, the second-most in a single season in program history.
 
Preston was next on the team with thee goals to go along with a pair of assists. Brittany Sherrod had a pair of scores for her 24^th and 25^th of the season with reigning Big South Freshman of the Week, Gonzalez, getting two goals as well. Duchscherer, Lauren Connor and Aimie Perino each had one goal, while Connor, Perino and Briggs had assist apiece.
 
From the draw circle, Gardner-Webb had a 16-13 margin in the category. Foley notched a career-high in this as well as she finished with ten, the most by a GWU player in 2023. Duchscherer added three herself with Sherrod getting two and Heather Lobas with one.
 
Lobas and Mackenzie Gallery led the team with three caused turnovers with both also scooping three groundballs. Danielle Burke, Briggs and Foley each had two CTs with Reese Jones and Connor causing one apiece.
 
Burke led the team with four groundballs and had a nine save outing in the win. There was a quartet of Runnin' Bulldogs that finished with two GBs to help the team have a 20-11 edge in groundballs.
 
Gardner-Webb had one of their best games on the clear this season as they went 16-17 on these chances. They went 5-5 on opportunities in both the second and fourth quarters.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs will be back in action on Saturday to conclude their 2023 season with a road game at High Point. The first draw is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. against the Panthers.