FARMVILLE, Va. – Absent over the course of the team's last five matches due to injury, graduate forward Kori Lawrence made her presence felt for the Presbyterian College women's soccer squad on Wednesday evening at Longwood, contributing to PC's fifth score of the season on a helper by junior Reyna Coston in what ultimately turned into a 1-1 tie with the Lancers.

In a match featuring 23 total shots between two teams that spotlight their defensive play at a high level, the Blue Hose found the equalizer from Coston to Lawrence at the 58:06 stamp after conceding the match's first goal in the opening period. As a result, both sides begin Big South play with an 0-0-1 record in the 11^th meeting between the two programs since the blue and white joined the NCAA's D-I ranks
 
FINAL SCORE: Presbyterian, 1 – Longwood, 1
RECORDS: Presbyterian (0-6-3), Longwood (3-4-3)
LOCATION: Longwood Athletics Complex (Farmville, Va.)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
As two of the league's best keepers went back and forth through the course of the Big South opener, PC's Kelly Hall would be the first to let one slide at the 28:54 mark, as Longwood's Alex Dinger capitalized on the opportunity to bring the Lancers a 1-0 edge at the halftime intermission.

It wouldn't take long for head coach Brian Purcell's group to respond just 13 minutes into the second stanza, as Lawrence recorded her fourth strike of the past two seasons once Coston provided the avenue, rifling the ball past goalie Mary Kate Levush to even things up where it would remain for the rest of the night.

11 different players saw the field for the Blue Hose on Wednesday, as Coston, true freshman Sloan Spees, and defender Kali Zmistowski combined for seven of Presbyterian's 12 looks at the net. After giving up the evening's first goal, Hall ensured the Lancers wouldn't have the opportunity to secure the tiebreaker, denying the remaining 10 shots by the home side to preserve the stalemate.
 
COACH PURCELL'S THOUGHTS:
"I was extremely pleased with our effort and performance tonight after coming back from a pretty lengthy break. Longwood was a very tough team to open up our league schedule against, a well-coached program with a solid defensive core. For us to go on the road in this important match and play as well as we did, I truly couldn't be prouder of our players for the way they battled and competed for the full 90 minutes".
 
UP NEXT:
All eight of Presbyterian's remaining bouts will stay inside of Big South territory, beginning this Saturday in the team's return match at Bailey Memorial Stadium versus the Radford Highlanders. The first conference affair to be held at their home site, PC's 16^th meeting with the league's other Virginia representative will take place at 4:00 p.m. on Sept. 24.