CLINTON, S.C.- The Winthrop Eagles defeated the Presbyterian College women's soccer team 4-1 on PC's Senior Night Tuesday evening at Martin Stadium.
The Blue Hose (3-10-3, 0-7-3 Big South) will say goodbye to seniors Kelly Kozera, Keri O'Neill, Rachael Parks, Taylor Patti, Christy Schofer, Catie Smith, and Alison Stelling, seven seniors that helped lead the team to the program's first ever Big South Conference tournament appearance in 2013.
With the win, the Eagles (8-8-1, 4-5-1 Big South) will qualify for the conference tourney as the sixth seed and play at High Point on Sunday in the quarterfinals.
Senior Krystyna Freda, who leads the Big South in goals and points, put the Eagles on the board in the 23rd minute when she shot from the top of the box into the left corner off a pass from Tori Davis.
Anne Cushman scored her first goal of the season in the 33rd minute when the ball played back to her in the box on a loose ball and she scored on the left side. Megan David was credited with the assist on the goal to put the Eagles up 2-0 at halftime.
Junior Hannah Gaither (Statesville, N.C.) had a penalty kick attempt in 50th minute that hit off the cross bar, but she redeemed herself just minutes later when she tallied her first goal of the season in the 53rd minute to put the team within one goal. O'Neill played the ball across the middle to pick up the assist.
Freda scored her second goal of the game in the 60th minute to extend the Eagles lead to 3-1 when she took a pass from Taylor Walton and buried the ball in the back left side.
Walton and Freda connected again in the 81st minute as Walton picked up her third goal of the season on a through ball to the right side of the goal off a pass from Freda.
The Eagles ended the game with 27 shots, outshooting the Blue Hose's 13. They also held a 5-3 advantage in corner kicks. Gaither, Sarah Yoss (Peachtree City, Ga.), and Kristen Peagler (Lithonia, Ga.) each registered two shots on goal
Parks earned her first start in goal for PC as she made an impressive seven saves in the loss. Stelling came in for the remaining 9:37 of the game to pick up one save. Amelia Henderson recorded seven saves to earn the win in goal for the Eagles.
