WILSON — Anna Grossheim gave the UNCP soccer team the lead in the 61st minute, but a Barton goal in the 72nd minute gave the hosts the equalizer as the Conference Carolinas East Division squads settled for a draw in action Wednesday evening at Truist Stadium.
The Braves (4-2-2, 3-0-2 CC) moved to 14-3-2 in the all-time series with the Bulldogs (4-2-2, 1-1-1 CC), as UNCP’s 12-game winning streak in the series came to a halt with the result.
Grossheim stepped up to take a Braves free kick, and cracked a perfect strike from 28 yards out off the post and into the back of the net to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
Eleven minutes later, Barton’s Felicia Svensson played a ball ahead to Jenessa Gray, who played a nifty one-touch pass to the foot of Lexis Goldberg, who then put it home from just inside the penalty area to give the Bulldogs the equalizer.
Grossheim led the way with match highs in shots (seven) and shots on goal (three), while also tallying the lone UNCP goal as she tied the school record for most career starts with her 77th. Mercy Bell and Maya McDonald each recorded four shots with two on frame.
Anna Bass made three saves between the pipes for the Braves.
UNCP logged 24 shots, with 10 on frame, while Barton attempted ten shots with four on goal.
The Braves earned nine corner kicks, while limiting the Bulldogs to just two.
UNCP will continue Conference Carolinas play Saturday as the Braves host Young Harris for Lumbee River EMC Appreciation Day. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. at LREMC Stadium.
Braves volleyball beats Barton in four sets
The UNC Pembroke volleyball team hit .262 during the match and recorded seven blocks and six service aces to defeat Barton 3-1 (25-19, 26-28, 25-17, 25-22) on Tuesday evening inside the Wilson Gymnasium.
The victory for the Braves (4-8, 1-1 CC) marked the first road win of the season and improve to 15-6 all-time against Barton. The Bulldogs (1-9, 0-4 CC) have now lost their last six matches and fall to 1-6 against UNCP when playing in Wilson.
UNC Pembroke hit .259 from the net in the opening set and took an early 6-1 lead following a Barton attack error. The Bulldogs put together a 6-1 run to knot the score at 6 apiece, but the Braves would eventually lead 13-9 after a set error from the hosts. UNCP took the lead for good, 18-17, with a kill from Abby Peduzzi, and would close out the set on a 7-2 scoring advantage to win 25-19.
The Braves scored three-straight points to push their second-set lead out to 11-6, but the Bulldogs scored the next five points of the set to tie the score at 11. Savannah Whaley’s kill pushed the UNCP lead out to 16-13, but BC would eventually lock the score at 19 apiece with a service error from UNC Pembroke. The Braves outscored Barton 5-1 to lead 24-20 following a block from Mckenna Hayes, but the hosts closed out the set on an 8-2 run to take the second set 28-26.
UNCP hit a match-best .500 from the net in the third set and took a commanding 17-11 lead with a service ace from Mckenna Hayes. Barton worked its deficit back to 22-15 with a kill from Audrey Earp, but the Braves won three of the final five points of the set and won 25-17 to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
Barton put together a 5-0 surge in the fourth set to lead 11-7 via a kill from Lauryn Pitt, but UNCP answered with a 5-0 run of their own to take a slight 12-11 lead with a Hayes kill. The Bulldogs looked to be in control of the set taking a 21-17 lead, but the Braves closed out the match on an 8-1 run highlighted by a kill from Hayes to win the set 25-22 and end the match.
Peduzzi had 16 kills and 11 digs for the Braves, Whaley had 15 kills and three aces, Hayes had nine kills and three blocks, Tyler Patterson had 47 assists, Karagyn Durco had 18 digs, Brette Doile had 17 digs and Ruby Countryman had three blocks.
The Braves will be back in action on Friday when they welcome Mount Olive to town for Friday Night Lights. First serve is slated for 6 p.m. at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court. Admission is free.