CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Junior forward
Olivia Tribolet scored her first Gardner-Webb goal early on Sunday evening, helping the Runnin' Bulldogs earn a hard fought 1-1 draw at Queens
It wasn't the brightest start for Gardner-Webb on Sunday evening at Queens, with the home-standing Royals opening the scoring inside 18 minutes. However, a Gardner-Webb equalizer within seconds would help write the story, as the Runnin' Bulldogs pulled its first result of the season.
After Queens opened the scoring on a set piece at 17:27, it took the Runnin' Bulldogs only 57 seconds to respond. Tribolet found the end of a cross by freshman forward
Taryn Pekala to head home and level the game at 1-1. Gardner-Webb kept up some good pressure through the first half, with the teams headed to the locker room and Queens holding just a narrow 7-5 advantage in shots.
The second half was where the Runnin' Bulldogs nearly took control of the contest, first with defense, then with the attack. Senior goalkeeper
Savannah Dixon was called on five save on the night, and made perhaps her biggest in the 77th minute when she was able to get an outstretched arm on a dangerous Queens chance from inside the 18-yard box.
GWU dominated the chances late with three shots in the final 10 minutes of the contest. Queens was able to produce a couple late key saves including one on a Gardner-Webb breakaway, as the contest finished 1-1.
LEADERS
Dixon continued an impressive start to her senior season with five saves, following up eight from Thursday night at Stetson. Gardner-Webb spread its six shots on target between five different players, with graduate forward
Annie Slovak recording two in her 39 minutes of action. 25 players would see the field for GWU in total, with Pekala recording her first career assist in 29 minutes, and freshman forward
Mattie Gilliam finding room for a late shot in her first collegiate action.
FROM COACH SOLBERG
I thought we created enough chances to win tonight.
We didn't concede in the run of play, which is always a win, but we conceded on one of their first, or,
if not, their first corner kick and that's not good enough. That's not acceptable. But I thought we had a lot of bright spots played a lot of kids. We saw some really good performances tonight. I thought we played a much better second half than the first half. Thought we created two or three really clear cut chances, and we just weren't clinical enough, and
clinical thought we defended really well. We've got to improve in the midfield and there's definitely some things you got to do a little bit better, but we're growing. That's a big performance from some young kids today. But ultimately, I'm really proud of our team's performance. I'm glad to take a result from this... it gives us something to build on.
