CHARLOTTE, N.C. – On what was a beautiful afternoon at Dickson Field, the Queens University of Charlotte women's soccer team, ranked 22^nd in the nation, was able to sustain pressure and secure a 2-0 win against the Saints from Limestone.  With the win, the Royals move to 3-0 while Limestone moves to 0-2-1.
 
Early on in the game it looked as though the Royals would run away with the contest, securing possession and linking pass after pass together. Although possession was sustained, Limestone's defenders were rock solid, keeping Queens out of the goal.

Taking advantage of the speed of senior forward Brooke Foil, Queens' midfielders continued sending balls her way by exploiting gaps in the Limestone defense and switching the field of play.
 
With thirteen minutes remaining in the half, Queens got their best chance on goal through Foil. The senior delivered a beautifully curled through-ball to Sarah Johnson, who found herself one-on-one with Limestone keeper Whitney Salonich. Johnson tried a curling attempt but Salonich was able to use her body to cut off the shot.
 
Back and forth continued but Limestone was able to get their best chance of the match through Ciera Wall as she weaved through the Royal defense in order to pass an incoming Gabriella Reid into the box. While the pass was a bit long, Reid was able to latch onto it, but not before a fine save from Royals goalie Jessyca Young.
 
That would be Limestone's best chance of the match, as the Royals back-line would tighten up with each Limestone threat.

Halftime came and went with more of the same from the home side. Queens continued to do a marvelous job of switching the field, utilizing the speed and ball handling of their forwards.
 
Twenty minutes into the second half, Brenna Kate Grass, a freshman from Hubert, N.C., got on the end of a great ball right inside the 18 yard box, but wasn't able connect fully on her shot as she slid into the ball.
 
Queens didn't have to wait long, however, as Logan Vitale made a pressing run unattested from midfield to the top of the box. Moving the ball to her right side from 25 yards out, Vitale put a great shot on frame, a cheeky floater over the keeper's head that hit the crossbar. Fortunately, freshman Kelli Gottry was able to pounce on it, sending the ball goal-bound. The goal was Gottry's first of her career.
 
As the game began to stretch out, Limestone was able to push the Royals back into their own zone, but never had a clear scoring opportunity. Queens used that to their advantage, pushing the opposition right back and forcing a corner of their own.
 
Freshman Ashley Osiecki stepped up to take the corner and produced a threatening ball into the six yard box, where a Limestone defender dove to head the ball away from pressure. Fortunately for Queens, the defender misjudged the flight of the ball and the ball skirted past the goalie, giving Queens a 2-0 victory.
 
The remaining five minutes was very up-tempo as Limestone tried to net a last gasp goal in attempt to erase the Royals' clean sheet.
 
It wasn't to be for Limestone, and the Royals moved to 3-0 on the season, with a chance to move further up the regional and national rankings.
 
The Royals have a busy weekend ahead of them, as they travel to Shorter College in Georgia on Friday and then take on Pfeiffer University two days later before coming back home to take on Tusculum College in their first South Atlantic Conference game.