Defense, Clutch Scoring Help Runnin' Bulldogs Draw 1-1 at High Point

Wednesday, October 2

High Point, N.C.

7:00 PM

Gardner-Webb University

2-8-3, 0-1-2

High Point

4-4-3, 1-0-1

Team	1	2	Final F
Gardner-Webb	0	1	1
High Point	0	1	1

Defense, Clutch Scoring Help Runnin' Bulldogs Draw 1-1 at High Point

October 02, 2024 | Women's Soccer

Box Score

By: Michael Covil, Assistant Director of Strategic Communication

HIGH POINT, N.C. - The Gardner-Webb University women's soccer team scored another result in Big South Conference action on Wednesday night, holding High Point to a 1-1 draw on the road thanks to a late equalizer.

The defense was forced to be up to the task at Vert Stadium, with the home-standing Panthers dominating both the shots and the ball, but a strong defensive showing allowed Gardner-Webb to leave with another point on the board in conference play. Despite being out-shot 27-4 overall and 13-1 on goal, the Runnin' Bulldogs made the most of a late chance to assure leaving with a result.

After over 67 minutes of play, High Point finally took the lead and by most accounts control of the game. A floated ball to the far post was hit back to the near post, winding up in the corner of the net to give the home side a 1-nil lead. However, the Panthers would lead for just for just over a minute of game time.

From there, heads didn't go down and Gardner-Webb immediately got back in the game. Senior defender Lea Gossett floated a dangerous free kick into the box, where senior forward Julianna Jatkola forced the ball back across goal with a header in traffic. She'd pick up the assist after sophomore midfielder Lily Stegall got loose to scramble the ball over the line on the far post, drawing Gardner-Webb level at 1-1 and cuing celebrations from the GWU players and bench.

A barrage of shots from High Point followed over the last 20 minutes of action, but sophomore goalkeeper Stephanie Liu stood tall with a series of her 12 saves in the final minutes, including on a potentially dangerous header from short range in the 85th minute. Liu's performance takes her to 79 total saves for the season, still the high-mark in the Big South Conference.

With another point in the standings, Gardner-Webb now looks ahead to Presbyterian. The Runnin' Bulldogs host the Blue Hose in Big South action on Saturday night, October 5th.