by Nicholas Kolsin
The UNC Pembroke Braves beat the Barton College Bulldogs 3-0 at home in Conference Carolina play to improve to 8-2-3 (7-0-3 in CC).
The Braves started off hot in the first minute when Eli Soderberg ripped a shot on goal but it went wide. In the next two minutes, the Braves got two more shots on goal one from Reagan Carr and another from Soderberg, but they were both saved by the Barton goalkeeper. In the 11th minute, Carr hit Soderberg in the box and Soderberg chipped it over the goalkeepers hands to put it in the back of the net to give the Braves the early 1-0 lead.
The Braves kept the pressure going rallying 3 more shots on target against the Barton keeper but keeper Taylor Primack was able to keep the score within one. In the 21st minute, Anna Bass made her first save of the game stuffing a chance by the Bulldogs Gianna Ferigne. The Braves went into halftime up 1-0 dominating the shot total fourteen to three.
The Braves kept the pressure up in the second half continuing their fury of shots on goal against the Bulldogs registering seven shots in the first 15 minutes of the half, but none of them were able to find the back of the net. In the 71st minute, Maria Cancio took a pass from Mercy Bell and struck it into the top corner beyond the diving keeper.
In the 77th minute, Eugenie Amidou dribbled past two Barton defenders and struck the ball outside of the box that went past the keeper into the bottom of the net to give the Braves a 3-0 lead.
Soderberg ended the game with 10 shots on goal in addition to her goal. Maria Cancio had 4 goals all of them on target. Anna Bass had an easy game only having to make two saves in the win.
The 8-2-3 Braves will travel to Wingate on Wednesday to play an out of conference match at 5 p.m.