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Women’s Soccer: Bobcats Rally Past Barton, 3-1

Oct. 22, 2012. WILSON, N.C. — Junior Kaitlyn Kerrigan (Lakewood Ranch, Fla.) scored midway through the 62nd minute, and Mallory Overholt (Grand Bend, Ontario, Canada) tallied two assists to propel the Lees-McRae College women’s soccer team to a 3-1 victory over Barton College in Conference Carolinas play on Saturday evening.

With the win, Lees-McRae (9-5-1, 8-1 CC) clinches home field advantage in the first round of the conference tournament, and moves the Bobcats a game clear of Belmont Abbey College at the top of the league standings. The Bobcats outshot Barton (4-10, 3-8 CC) by a 21-2 margin in the contest, including a 12-1 advantage in the first half, while holding a 2-0 edge in corner kicks.

Kerrigan, Meagan Thornton (Millville, N.J.), and Erica Allen (Norton, Ohio) each found the back of the net for the Bobcats, while Overholt tallied two assists and Ally Titsworth (Holmes Beach, Fla.) added a helper of her own. Thorton paced Lees-McRae with eight shots, including three on frame, while Kerrigan added four shots on goal. Kaitlyn Briggs (Oviedo, Fla.) and Alicia Pierson (Brooksville, Fla.) each played a half between the pipes, combining to allow one goal.

Morgan Bush tallied the lone goal of the match for the Bulldogs, connecting on her only attempt of the evening as Carson Moore recorded nine saves between the pipes.

The match remained scoreless until the closing moments of the 43rd minute, when Bush sent a free kick just under the bar from 30 yards distance to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 advantage. Thornton would equalize less than two minutes later, winning a loose ball inside the area and finishing near post 21 seconds before the break to level proceedings.

The Bobcats broke the deadlock in the 62nd minute, taking a 2-1 leading when Kerrigan delivered from 30 yards out after a lovely buildup from Overholt and Titsworth. Allen would add an insurance strike just over three minutes later, taking a pass from Overholt and finishing off the bar from 25 yards distance to push the lead to 3-1 with her team-leading sixth goal of the season.

Lees-McRae returns to the pitch on Tuesday when the Bobcats host King College in league play at 5 p.m. on Tate Field.