FARMVILLE, Va. -- Longwood University took a 2-1 women’s soccer victory past visiting South Carolina State University of the Great West Conference Sunday afternoon at the Athletics Complex in Farmville.  Sophomore Kelsey Pardue|Henrico (Hermitage) and junior captain Lindsey Ottavio|Fairfax (W.T. Woodson) each scored first-half goals for the Lancers (4-5-3), and Ottavio’s first goal of the season proved to be the game-winner in the 14th minute.  Longwood will be idle for 12 days before returning to action on Friday night, October 7, welcoming Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) member North Carolina State University to the Athletics Complex in Farmville beginning at 7 p.m.
    
Longwood took an early 1-0 advantage in the ninth minute when Pardue took a nice serve in the box from freshman Kelsey McDonald|Kennett Square, Pa. (Unionville) and shot successfully to the lower right corner of the net at 8:01.  The Lancers quickly added another goal at 13:51 as Ottavio controlled a pass in the box from junior Nikki Glisson|Mechanicsville (Hanover) and beat the keeper with her hard shot to the lower left corner.  It was the first goal of the season for Ottavio who had scored 16 goals a year ago, and now has 20 goals in her career to rank fifth all-time.  It remained a 2-0 lead for the hosts at the intermission, but South Carolina State made it interesting with an early goal in the second half at 54:53 on a header by Morgan Roesler from a corner kick by Veronica Aguilar.  Longwood continued to dominate the play on the field in the second half, but just could not move the net despite 12 second-half shots, including eight on-goal.
    
“It was a hard-fought win and I’m happy for our players,” said veteran 18th-year head coach Todd Dyer ‘93.  “Now we have a huge challenge in front of us with North Carolina State of the ACC headed our way.”
    
Longwood took a 19-6 advantage in shots, including 15-3 in attempts on-goal, and the Lancers had an 8-2 edge in corner kicks.  Ottavio and Pardue each registered four shots, three on-goal, to lead the Lancers’ attack.  Sophomore Shelby Hall|Purcellville (Loudoun Valley) started her first collegiate match at goalkeeper and played the duration for the Lancers with two saves.
    
Mariah Hebbe played the duration for South Carolina State with 11 saves, and the Lady Bulldogs had two team stops as well, while Olivia Moore and Kaitlynn Cortez each had two shots, one on-goal.  Longwood has never lost to South Carolina State, now leading the all-time series at 6-0-1 since first playing in 2005.