Belmont Abbey freshman forward Connie Axiotis scored twice in the first half as the Crusaders women's soccer team extended their unbeaten streak to 18 with a 2-1 win over visiting Lenoir-Rhyne this afternoon. Belmont Abbey improves to 4-0-2, while the Bears slip to 5-1.

Axiotis accounted for all of the Abbey's shots in the match, but they both went for goals as she put the Crusaders ahead 1-0 in the 14th minute. Rebecca Mateo sailed a through ball to the right-center of the box, where Axiotis blasted a shot over the head of goalkeeper Katelyn Burwell for a 1-0 lead.

1:12 later, Axiotis extended the advantage to 2-0 as Nicole Voets intercepted a Bears pass and fired a long pass down the left flank to Axiotis, who beat her man and with a difficult angle, fired a shot into the lower right corner of the net for a 2-0 lead.

That was the score until th 72nd minute when the Bears trimmed the lead to one on Laura Linehan's blast from the right corner of the 18-yard box to cut the lead to 2-1. Neither team scored in the next 17 minutes as the final was 2-1.

L-R outshot the Abbey 9-2, but the Crusaders held a 5-1 advantage in corner kicks. Abbey goalkeeper Anna Wells made five saves, while Burwell had none.