CORVALLIS, Ore. – Senior midfielder Caio Hughes scored in the 72^nd minute while the Gardner-Webb defense was dominant over 90 minutes as the Runnin' Bulldogs took down Oregon State 1-0 in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday evening.
 
Hughes led GWU with four total shots, including the game-winner while six other players registered one shot each. Junior keeper Alan Horrocks was solid in goal once again, collecting his seventh clean sheet of the year after playing all 90 minutes in cage.
 
Gardner-Webb pushed forward early in the contest, ripping off several shots in the match's early minutes, but could not find the back of the net for the go-ahead score. Hughes connected on a pair of strikes on goal in the 19^th and 35^th minutes that were hauled in by the Oregon State keeper.
 
The Beavers were also presented a golden opportunity of their own midway through the first, but Horrocks ricocheted the shot of Sergi Solans to preserve the scoreless tie heading into the half.
 
Offense was at a premium for the majority of the second half as both defenses stood tall. However, that changed in the 72^nd minute when Hughes found himself unmarked in the box before blasting his third goal of the season. He was double assisted on the goal by midfielder Tiago Campos and forward Lucas Mauro.
 
From that point, the game was all in the hands of Gardner-Webb as it did not allow a single shot over the final 18 minutes of the match enroute to the 1-nil win.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs will now travel to Denver, Colo. on Sunday, November 24, facing the Pioneers of the University of Denver. Game time is set for 3 p.m.