ROCK HILL, SC – The Winthrop women’s soccer team received goals from Kelly Clark, Tori Davis and Courtney Durbin as it opened its 2011 regular season on Friday evening with a 3-1 win over the Georgia Southern Eagles at Eagle Field.

It was the first season-opening win for the Eagles since a 3-2 win over Tennessee Tech to start the 2008 campaign.

“I was really proud of the way we battled,” said head coach Spencer Smith. “We played extremely hard for 90 minutes tonight. It wasn’t always the prettiest of soccer, but it was the way our opponent made us play. I thought we got stronger, especially in our back four, as the game went on. It was a great win for us. Georgia Southern is a good opponent and I’m just glad we were able to get the win.”

GSU had two scoring opportunities inside the Winthrop defense midway through the first half. Courtney Collins snuck behind an Eagle defender into the six-yard box for a wide open shot, but Winthrop goalkeeper Sarah Schippers was right in front of Collins to make the save. In the 27^th minute Alex Murphy put her shot past a diving Schippers to the left, but her shot rolled just to the right of the far side post.

The Eagles then put together a stretch of two minutes in which they netted two goals to go ahead of Georgia Southern 2-0. Clark recorded her first career goal in the 43^rd minute on a ball from Ashley Herndon. Herndon took a free kick for Winthrop from 45 yards out on the far side, and put her ball in a crowd of players inside the 18-yard box. Clark was able to beat the GSU defenders for the ball, and put her header into the left side of the net from 12 yards out.

In the 44^th minute Davis also scored her first collegiate goal from a cross by Ariel Kunde on the near side. Kunde gained possession of the ball just on the outside of the 18-yard box and put her cross back into the middle where Davis was able to head the ball over the head of Georgia Southern goalie Katie Merson.

“It was absolutely amazing,” said Davis. “I was really looking for the goal and when I crashed into the box, I was lucky enough to get it in. I am so blessed to be a part of this freshman class. It is really exciting.”

GSU wasted little time responding to the two Eagle goals by scoring one of its own just seconds before the end of the first half. Murphy received a pass inside the 18-yard box where she missed her initial shot attempt, but recovered and put her second shot past Schippers into the left side of the goal.

Courtney Durbin looked to put Winthrop ahead by two goals in the 61^st minute with her header just outside of the six-yard box, but the shot hit the crossbar in the top-right corner of the goal. Durbin, however, responded to put the Eagles up 3-1 in the 82^nd minute with her first goal of the season on the assist from Rachel Webster. Webster crossed the ball from the near side on the outer-part of the 18-yard box right to Durbin where it hit off her foot and into the air. Durbin was able to adjust and placed the shot over Merson with her right foot.

Durbin and Krystyna Freda led the Winthrop offensive with five shots apiece, while Schippers snagged four saves to earn the second win in net of her career. Murphy attempted a team-high three shots for Georgia Southern, and Merson finished with five saves.

The Eagles outshot GSU 18-10 and 8-5 in shots on-goal, while Georgia Southern led in corner kicks 8-5.

Winthrop will be back in action on Thursday, Aug. 25 as it travels down to Charleston, SC to face The Citadel Bulldogs at 4 p.m.