ASHEVILLE, N.C. - Jackie Richards netted the game-winner as Campbell defeated UNC Asheville 3-2 in a back-and-forth battle Saturday night at Greenwood Field.
Campbell (10-3-3, 6-0-2) extends its unbeaten streak to 12 matches and clinches a top-two seed for next month's Big South Championship following the win.
The Camels remain in first-place in the conference standings and can secure the conference title outright with a win Wednesday in a 7:00 p.m. kickoff at home against Longwood. Campbell can also claim the title outright with a draw and an USC Upstate loss. A Campbell draw and an Upstate win would result in both sides sharing the regular season crown with 21 points apiece, with the Camels remaining as the top seed after winning the head-to-head matchup against the Spartans.
UNC Asheville (4-9-3, 2-5-1) scored the first goal of the game in the 9th minute as Solveig Schlitter volleyed the ball up to Lindie Clark who flipped it into the Campbell goal.
The Camels answered in the 17th minute as Cazzi Norgren curled a ball in for a Laney Peabody header to knot it up at 1-1.
Elyssa Nowowieski added another goal in the 42nd minute as Campbell took a 2-1 lead into the intermission.
Following halftime, the Camels kept up the pressure on the attacking end as Reagan Baiotto had a shot blocked and Kaleigh Backlund took a shot off the post in the 46th minute. UNC Asheville's Kaiya Boyd evened the match at 2-2 in the 71st minute as she curled one into the net from the top of the box.
Campbell immediately responded a minute later as Nowowieski had her shot hit off the right post and Jessica Donald missed high on her shot off the rebound in the 72nd minute. Moments later, Richards netted the game-winner in the 76th minute after receiving a through ball into the box from Donald and burying it into the back of the net.
Earning the 29th assist of her career, Donald surpasses Ellen Price's (1993-96) previous record of 28 to become the all-time program leader.
The Camels outshot the Bulldogs 30-8 marking the second time CU has attempted 30 or more shots this season. Campbell has scored multiple goals in eight of its last nine outings.
Hear from head coach Jeff Gross following the win:
