GREENWOOD – A goal in each half and shutdown defense throughout pushed the Lander women's soccer team to a 2-0 home victory over in-state opponent Converse on Wednesday evening. It marks the Bearcats' first 3-0 start since 2023.
Paige Bailey put the Bearcats on the board in the 33rd minute on a sequence up the middle of the pitch started by
Langley Stewart. Stewart passed ahead to
Rylee King who set Bailey up on the run as she finished seamlessly with her left foot.
The game was slow-developing before that, save for a near-strike from
Maddie Leber that glanced off the crossbar in the fifth minute.
Kylie Wilson sent a perfect ball to Leber in stride while exploiting a hole in the Valkyries' defense in what had the makings of a highlight-reel play.
Leading 1-0 by halftime, Lander was simply too much for Converse (0-1-1) in the second half and outshot them 18-5 with eight of those coming on goal. The Bearcats didn't allow a single shot on goal the entire day.
Angele Hills had two great chances in the 46th and 61st minutes that were stopped by Sofia Casares Herrasti.
Evelyn Wright followed that 61st-minute shot with a header that was impressively denied as part of a double-save. But a
Darcy Ahern corner-kick followed and Stewart was the one to get a head on it for her second career goal.
Bailey came within inches of a second goal in the 76th minute when she hit the crossbar. The ball took an unfortunate bounce straight down and didn't cross the goal-line.
Up next for LU is Wingate on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 5 p.m. The Bulldogs will come into the match sporting a 2-1 record. WU bested the Bearcats a season ago in Wingate in a 2-1 final.
