BOILING SPRINGS, NC – The Winthrop women’s soccer team set a school record for most goals in a conference game on Tuesday evening as it opened Big South Conference play with a 7-2 victory over the Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs at Greene-Harbison Field.

The Eagles improve to 5-4 overall and 1-0 in conference play, while the Runnin’ Bulldogs fall to 2-4-3 on the season and 0-1 in Big South action.

“We were fortunate to be level at halftime,” said head coach Spencer Smith. “We challenged our girls at halftime to come out and play hard and play better. They did it and my hats off to them for doing that. Having said that, we realize and understand that each conference game is going to be a battle. We now have to prepare and get ready for Campbell on Saturday.”

Winthrop wasted little time jumping out to a 1-0 lead just 23 seconds into the contest on Courtney Durbin’s fourth goal of the season. Lia Gorden received the assist after her cross over the Gardner-Webb defense went to Durbin, who beat Runnin’ Bulldog goalkeeper Erika Lenns and scored left side.

Gardner-Webb responded to score two goals within a two-minute span to go ahead of the Eagles 2-1. Meagan Reynolds’ penalty kick goal in the 9^th minute tied the game at 1-1 after she was fouled from behind far side. It became 2-1 in favor of the Runnin’ Bulldogs in the 11^th minute on a goal by Megan Reimer from the near post after a cross from inside the 18-yard box.

Winthrop looked to tie the game twice in the 32^nd minute and 41^st minutes on shots from Gorden and Durbin, but were unable to capitalize. Krystyna Freda, however, gave the Eagles the equalizer at 2-2 in the 43^rd minute on a through ball from Durbin. Freda was able to beat Lenns as she came out of the box, and her shot hit the back leg of a Gardner-Webb defender and rolled into the net.

Freda came out in the second half and quickly put Winthrop ahead 3-2 in the 47^th minute. She received a through pass and ran past several Runnin’ Bulldog defenders and beat Lenns one-on-one. Freda recorded her first career hat trick in the 49^th minute after Durbin’s cross went right to her in front of the net. It was Durbin’s second assist of the match.

The hat trick by Freda was the Eagles first since Chelsea White against South Carolina State in 2007, and first in conference play since Whitney Sanders against Radford in 2003. It was the third hat trick in program history.

Durbin’s third assist came in the 67^th minute on a pass to Tori Davis at the top of the 18-yard box for her third goal of the year. Durbin also set a school record against Gardner-Webb for most assists in a game.

Gorden scored Winthrop’s final two goals of the match in the 69^th and 75^th minutes to make it a 7-2 contest. Her first goal came after the initial clear attempt by Lenns was blocked by Freda and the ball bounced to Gorden, who put her header into the far side of the net. The second goal came on a rebound after her initial shot was blocked.

The Eagles outshot the Runnin’ Bulldogs 23-19 in the game and 12-5 in shots on-goal. Gardner-Webb held a 12-2 advantage in corner kicks.

Freda set a school record for the second time this season with 10 shots to lead Winthrop offensively, while goalkeeper Sarah Schippers grabbed three saves. Megan Tremblay attempted a team-high five shots for the Runnin’ Bulldogs, and Lenns had five saves.

The Eagles will stay in conference play on Saturday, Oct. 1 as they will host Big South newcomer Campbell at 7 p.m.