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Strong Second Half Lifts Bobcats Over Falcons, 5-0

Oct. 8, 2012. The Lees-McRae College women’s soccer team scored four goals in the second half, including a strike from LeeAnn Sullivan (Greensboro, N.C.), en route to a pivotal 5-0 win over Pfeiffer University in Conference Carolinas play as the Bobcats celebrated Homecoming Weekend on Saturday afternoon at Tate Field.

Lees-McRae (7-3-1, 6-1 CC) outshot Pfeiffer (5-6, 4-2 CC) by a 16-4 margin on the afternoon, controlling the run of play from the first whistle as the Bobcats held an 8-2 advantage in attempts at goal in each half. Freshman Erica Allen (Norton, Ohio) paced the Bobcats with two goals and one assist, while fellow rookie Sarah Mahar (Jacksonville, Fla.) tallied one goal and one helper in the contest.

LeeAnn Sullivan and twin sister MaryBeth Sullivan (Greensboro, N.C.) each found the back of the net for Lees-McRae, as Mallory Overholt (Grand Bend, Ontario, Canada) added an assist. Kaitlyn Briggs (Oviedo, Fla.) made three saves to keep the 11th clean sheet of her career.

Aaliyah Jackson paced Pfeiffer with two shots, both on frame, as Brittany Polly made seven saves in 72 minutes of work. Bianca Moeller and Kori Holland combined to serve the final 18 minutes between the pipes for the Falcons.

The match remained scoreless until the early moments of the 44th minute, when Allen flicked a deft finish into the left side of the net from 10 yards out, sending the Bobcats into the interval with a 1-0 advantage.

LeeAnn Sullivan doubled the advantage to 2-0 less than a minute into the second half, slotting the finish into the bottom right corner for her first goal of the season. MaryBeth Sullivan found her way onto the score sheet in the 69th minute, taking a cross from Overholt and sending a brilliant finish into the far corner to give the Bobcats a 3-0 lead.

Allen tallied her first career brace in the closing stages of the 78th minute, finding the back of the net after a skillful buildup from Mahar to push the advantage to four. The Norton, Ohio native returned the favor midway through the 87th minute, setting up Mahar for the finish from six yards out to cap the afternoon’s scoring.

Lees-McRae returns to the pitch on Wednesday when the Bobcats host Limestone College in a pivotal conference clash at 5 p.m. on Tate Field.