GREENWOOD – Wrapping up non-conference play for the 2026 season on Wednesday night at
Van Taylor Stadium, the No. 22 Lander women's soccer team earned a 1-0 win over Newberry. The Bearcats (5-0-1) have yet to concede a goal three weeks into the season.
Angele Hills was fouled in the box in the 62nd minute and converted her penalty-kick chance to the bottom-left corner of the net to give LU the goal it needed. That came just minutes after
Rylee King was issued a red card which left the Bearcats down a player for the last 30 minutes.
Newberry (1-3-1, 0-2 South Atlantic Conference) seemed content to keep the ball in its defensive half during the first 45 minutes, but Lander's stingy defense was influential in that reality. By the end of the first half, the Bearcats put three shots on net and had seven total while the Wolves posted a zero in both categories.
At game's end, Lander held a 15-3 edge in shots – seven coming on net – and never allowed a Newberry shot on target.
Bri Little came within inches of her first career goal just before the halftime horn on a free-kick chance outside the penalty arc. Madison Gutierrez, though, leapt high and got her fingertips on the ball to send it over the crossbar. Gutierrez made six saves for the Wolves.
One of those was when she came out of her goal to deny
Saige Peterson of her first goal for the Blue and Gold in the 47th minute. Hills set Peterson up in-stride with a pass into the box and Gutierrez got her body in front of the shot.
Tonight saw the return of
Sophia Trio to the pitch in her first game action since Nov. 1, 2025, against Georgia College, as well as the collegiate debut of
Lizzy Sexton.
The Bearcats begin PBC play Saturday at home versus Clayton State at 5 p.m.
